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ADULT
SABBATH SCHOOL
BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
APR MAY JUN 2000
The
r
Certaintp ot tOe
Second
Coming
SEVENTH-DAY
ADVENTIST CHURCH OKA\
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1
Scripture references other than from the King James Version quoted by permission in this guide are as follows:
NKJV.
From the Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright (C) 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by per-
mission.
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Copyright © 2000 by the Office of the Adult Bible Study Guide, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 12501 Old Columbia Pike,
Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600, USA.
Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide (ISSN 1096-7400)/No. 420/April—June 2000.
Contents
1.
What Makes Christianity Christian?
(March 25-31)
6
2.
The Authority of the Bible and the
Second Coming
(April 1-7)
14
3.
Creation and the Second Coming
(April 8-14)
22
4.
The Sabbath and the Second Coming
(April 15-21)
30
5.
The First Coming Prepares for the
Second Coming
(April 22-28)
38
6.
Salvation and the Second Coming
(April 29—May 5)
46
7.
The Sanctuary and the Second Coming
(May 6-12)
56
8.
Such a Cloud of Witnesses and the
Second Coming
(May 13-19)
64
9.
The Witness of the Remnant and the
Second Coming
(May 20-26)
72
10.
Millennial Expectation and the
Second Coming
(May 27—June 2)
80
11.
The Certainty of the Second Coming
(June 3-9)
88
12.
The Millennium, the End of Evil,
and the Beginning of the New Earth
(June 10-16)
96
13.
God Reveals His Righteousness
(June 17-23)
104
Editorial Office:
12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904
Principal Contributor
Editorial Assistant
Edward Zinke
Soraya Homayouni Parish
Editor
Art and Design
Phillip G. Samaan
Lars Justinen
Associate Editor
Pacific Press
2
Coordinator
Lyndelle Brower Chiomenti
Paul A. Hey
The Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide is prepared by the Office of the Adult
Bible Study Guide of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The prepa-
ration of the guides is under the general direction of a worldwide Sabbath School
Manuscript Evaluation Committee, the members of which serve as consulting editors.
The published guide reflects the input of the committee and thus does not solely or
necessarily represent the intent of the authors.
1
Meet the Principal Contributor
to This Guide
Edward Zinke was an associate di-
rector of the Biblical Research Insti-
tute of the General Conference for 14
years and author of several Sabbath
School teachers lessons. He is the son
of missionaries. His father, a medical
doctor, was very active in raising
churches in both North America and
Mexico, where they resided for four
years. Elder Zinke has a B.A. in theol-
ogy from Loma Linda University, an
M.Div. and an M.A. in Old Testament
from Andrews University. He achieved
doctoral candidate status in theology at
Catholic University of America.
While at the Biblical Research In-
stitute under direction of Dr. Gordon Hyde, Elder Zinke was the
catalyst and organizer of the 1974 Bible conference in the North
American Division and subsequent Bible conferences in France,
Germany, East Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Australia. As
president of the Adventist Theological Society and in conjunction
with the Inter-American Division and Biblical Research Institute,
Elder Zinke organized the first International Bible Conference, which
was held in Montemorelos, Mexico, in 1996. He was also closely
involved in organizing the first Jerusalem Bible Conference, held in
June 1998.
Elder Zinke and his wife, Ann, are the owners of Ann's House of
Nuts, an importer, processor, and distributor of nuts and dried fruits.
They have three sons, David, Doug, and Devin. Two are active in the
family business and the third is a student at Southern University. The
Zinke family enjoys cross-country backpacking and international travel.
Check with your local Adventist Book
Center for the companion book to the
Sabbath School Bible Study Guide.
2
An unforgettable
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hell for you than to live in
heaven without you.
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"Money
has great value ,
because it can do great good. In
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food fo
r
the hungry, drink . . .
for the oppressed, and a means
of help to the sick. But money
is of no more value than sand,
i
only as it isput to use in
providing or the necessities
of Ve, inblessing others, and
advancing the cause of Christ."
When the mission offering is taken
this Thirteenth Sabbath remember to
put your money towards God's work
in the Eastern Africa Division.
The Certainty of the Second
Coming
We began this new millennium with the first quarter's study of
one of the crucial Message and Mission themes: Our assurance of
salvation in Christ. It is fitting that in the second quarter of this new
millennium our study will touch on another Message and Mission
theme: The certainty of the Second Coming in the context of the
everlasting gospel.
In this Bible Study Guide, we will examine some of the distinctive
doctrines of the church as they relate to the certainty of our Lord's
second advent. Such doctrines will include the authority of the Bible,
Creation and the Sabbath, salvation, the sanctuary and the judgment,
the witness of the remnant, death and resurrection, the millennium,
the end of evil, and the beginning of the new earth. We will discover
that the doctrine of the Second Coming does not stand in isolation,
but it is the grand climax of the everlasting gospel and is intertwined
with many of its teachings. When we question any fundamental Bible
teaching, we also raise questions about the Second Coming.
We also will explore the meaning of doctrine itself. We will see
that doctrine is not an end within itself but is an essential element in
establishing our relationship with God. What is central to Christian-
ity is the message that we can be reconciled and restored to fellow-
ship with God through Jesus Christ.
Christianity is a relationship with God that matures when it is built
upon biblical teaching and lifestyle. We will see that our relationship
with Him does not do away with law and doctrine; rather, it estab-
lishes them. May our study this quarter bring certainty and peace to
our hearts as we joyously anticipate the imminent return of our Lord.
May it affirm our faith in the blessed hope as the culmination of the
gospel message for planet Earth.
"The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church,
the grand climax of the gospel. The Saviour's coming will be literal,
personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns, the righteous
dead will be resurrected, and together with the righteous living will
be glorified and taken to heaven, but the unrighteous will die. The
almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, together with
the present condition of the world, indicates that Christ's coming is
imminent. The time of that event has not been revealed, and we are
therefore exhorted to be ready at all times."—"Fundamental Belief,
24" in
Seventh-day Adventists Believe . . . A Biblical Exposition of 27
Fundamental Doctrines,
edited under the direction of the Ministerial
Association of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
from materials compiled by P.G. Damsteegt (Hagerstown, Md.: Re-
view and Herald Publishing Association, 1988), p. 332.
5
Lesson 1
March 25-31
What Makes Christianity
Christian?
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Gen. 1:26; Eph. 2:8; 3:9; Isa. 59:2;
Ezek. 14:7; Hos. 2:19, 20; Rev. 19:7, 9; John 5:39.
MEMORY TEXT: "And this is eternal life, that they may know You,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John
17:3, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHTS:
The goal of Christianity is our restoration to a
right relationship with God. This relationship will be culminated at the
Second Coming when we will have face-to-face communion with God.
MAJORING IN MINORS.
What is the basic idea that makes Chris-
tianity work? What is the goal toward which Christians strive? The
following story shows how far human beings will go to answer these
questions and to seek salvation on their own.
Simeon Stylites, a dedicated, third-century recluse, sold his inher-
ited estate upon his conversion. He gave a portion to his sister for her
sustenance, donated the remainder to the church, and took up the life
of a monk. To escape the distractions of society, he lived in a cave and
devoted himself to meditation. Soon, nearby villagers and would-be
disciples sought the presence of the pious monk. He moved farther into
the wilderness and built a tower to separate himself from the world.
However, disciples built towers around him. According to tradition, he
finally built a tower sixty-feet high in order to meditate without interrup-
tion. As you study this week's lesson, decide how you would answer
the questions raised at the beginning of this introduction.
6
Sunday
March 26
CREATED FOR FELLOWSHIP (Gen. 1:26; 5:1; Jer. 3:14; 1 Cor.
1:9; Eph. 3:9).
Why were Adam and Eve able to fellowship with God? Gen. 1:26;
5:1. What close relationship does God wish to have with us? Jer. 3:14.
By the act of creating us in His image in the Garden and by
redeeming us in Christ at Golgotha, God showed His great love to us.
Human beings, created and re-created in His image, have the opportu-
nity for fellowship with Him.
The primary purpose for our creation was for us to live in intimate
fellowship with God. He was there for communion with our first parents
from the moment He created them. That was the way He started with
humankind, and that is the way He wants to continue for all eternity.
"Man, created for fellowship with God, can only in such fellowship
find his real life and development. Created to find in God his highest joy,
he can find in nothing else that which can quiet the cravings of the
heart, can satisfy the hunger and thirst of the soul. He who with sincere
and teachable spirit studies God's word, seeking to comprehend its
truths, will be brought in touch with its Author; and, except by his own
choice, there is no limit to the possibilities of his development. . . .
"The central theme of the Bible, the theme about which every other
in the whole book clusters, is the redemption plan, the restoration in
the human soul of the image of God. . . .
"The science of redemption is the science of all sciences. . . . As no
other study can, it will quicken the mind and uplift the soul."
—Education,
pp. 124-126.
The Bible is the story of God's love for us and of His desire to
restore His relationship with us. Immediately after sin entered the
world, God was in the Garden speaking with Adam and Eve, giving
them the promise of the Savior. Through prophets and apostles, God
continued to tell us of His pursuit. He brought Israel out of Egypt into
the Promised Land. He sent Judah into captivity so the people might
come to their senses and return to Him. Christ was sent into the world
to restore face-to-face communication with God, and
Christ will re-
turn the second time to re-unite us with Him.
The Bible story of Hosea's marriage to Gomer illustrates God's
love for us. Gomer left her husband for other men. Time and again
Hosea sought out his wife, only to be forsaken again. Finally, he found
her on the auction block, waiting to be sold as a slave. Even in her
depraved condition, he bought her back and restored her as his wife.
Do I think of Christianity as a mere concept or an activity, or do I
think of it as a maturing relationship with God through Jesus Christ?
7
Monday
March 27
SEPARATED THROUGH SIN (Isa. 59:2; Ezek. 14:7).
What caused the disruption in the face-to-face fellowship between
God and humanity? Gen. 3:8-23.
What picture does the Bible present about our current condition?
What does this tell about the consequences of separating ourselves
from God? Isa. 64:6; Rom. 1:21-32; 3:10-19, 23.
Face-to-face communion between God and His new creation was
broken by the entrance of sin into the world. As a result, we have been
separated from Him.
Sin is transgression of the law, the transcript of God's character of
love. It is going against His will and following our own self-centered
inclinations. It is evidence of a broken relationship with our God.
However, God is not vindictive. He does not isolate Himself from us in
order to get back at us for breaking the law. "God is the fountain of life;
and when one chooses the service of sin, he separates from God, and
thus cuts himself off from life. He is 'alienated from the life of God.'
Christ says, 'All they that hate Me love death.' Eph. 4:18; Prov. 8:36.
God gives them existence for a time that they may develop their charac-
ter and reveal their principles. This accomplished, they receive the
results of their own choice."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 764.
When we sin, we are going against the character of God. The result
is deterioration or destruction of our relationship. We cannot remain
in fellowship with God and constantly go against His character and
His loving will for our lives.
Sin is not only overt transgression of the law; sin also seeks to be
independent from God, even in the effort to do right. Whatever does
not proceed from faith and love is sin (Rom. 14:23). We sin whenever we
have the opportunity to do what is right, just, and loving, yet we
choose not to (James 4:17). We are helpless in sin (Rom. 3:10; Isa. 64:6;
Dan. 9: 7, 11, 20; 1 Cor. 1:30). Nothing we can bring to God will restore
our broken relationship. We are like a tree cut off from its roots, like a
branch severed from the vine (John 15:1-8). The branch can do nothing
to restore itself. By the grace of God, we can be grafted back into the
vine, we can be adopted into the family of God.
Take the time to examine your attitude toward God when your
sins separate you from Him. Don't be afraid to really explore how
you feel. Do you view God as a loving parent or as a tyrant just
looking for an excuse to cut you off from the family tree? Why do
you view Him that way? If you view Him as a tyrant, what can you
do to change your view?
8
Tuesday
March 28
FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH SALVATION (Isa. 62:5;
Hos. 2:19, 20; Matt. 22:34-40; John 17:3; Rev. 19:7, 9).
How did Jesus define salvation? John 17:3.
The goal of Christianity is to restore us to a saving relationship
with God through Jesus Christ. In Western cultures, knowledge is
usually thought of as technical information. If we spoke with a good
press manager at a print shop, he could inform us what grade of paper
this study guide is printed on and describe the technical requirements
for printing it. However, technical information is not the same as a
knowledge of relationships. In the biblical culture, knowledge was
often thought of as personal. We know people when we have a per-
sonal relationship with them. Christ defined salvation in terms of
personal acquaintance with God, as contrasted with mere technical
information.
To what does the Bible compare our restored relationship with
God? Isa. 62:5; Rev. 19:7, 9; Hos. 2:19, 20.
What does it mean to die to the law in order to belong to
Christ? Rom. 7:1-6. Does the love of Jesus destroy the law? Ex-
plain. Matt. 22:34-40; Rom. 13:10.
Christianity is not Christian if its primary goal is doctrinal knowl-
edge, works, meditation, or any other human effort. We are majoring in
minors if such things rather than Christ become the focus of our
religion. Christianity is fulfilled when we are restored to a right relation-
ship with God through Jesus Christ, the center of all doctrine.
"The very first and most important thing is to melt and subdue the
soul by presenting our Lord Jesus Christ as the sin-pardoning Saviour.
Never should a sermon be preached, or Bible instruction in any line be
given, without pointing the hearers to 'the Lamb of God, which taketh
away the sin of the world.' John 1:29. Every true doctrine makes Christ
the center, every precept receives force from His words.
"Keep before the people the cross of Calvary. Show what caused the
death of Christ—the transgression of the law. ... Then point the people
to Christ, telling them that immortality comes only through recieving
Him. . .
."—Testimonies for the Church,
vol. 6, pp. 53, 54.
Why is information about doctrine not enough to bring salva-
tion? James 2:19. What was Paul's prayer for the Ephesians,
and how can it be fulfilled in your life? Eph. 3:16-19.
9
Wednesday
March 29
SALVATION IS THE GIFT OF GOD (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8;
2 Cor. 5:19; 9:15; Eph. 2:8; 3:7).
How is salvation totally God's initiative? Eph. 2:8;
3:7; 2 Cor. 9:15.
Life eternal comes from knowing God. Yet, we cannot bring about a
restored relationship with God on our own. We cannot come to God and
say, "Let's be friends. There are certain things in my personality that I
think you would enjoy, and I suspect that there are aspects of your
personality that I would enjoy. Let's get together!" We can do nothing
to commend ourselves to God. The grace of God alone brings hope.
"When we come to him in sincerity pleading for pardon, he forgives.
We need not wait to make ourselves acceptable; for we can never. We
cannot do works that will commend us to God when we have sinned.
We must come to the cross, and lay our burden of sin upon Jesus
Christ, and believe that we are pardoned for Christ's sake who died for
us."—Ellen G. White Articles, Signs of the Times
(Sept. 30, 1889),
vol. 2, p. 325.
As you study 2 Corinthians 5:19 and Romans 5:8, what do you learn
about God's character?
While it is true that we have nothing within ourselves to win God's
favor, yet God gives Himself to us. Jesus came into this world to
acquaint us with the Father (John 1:18). "Have I been with you so long,"
He asked, "and you do not know the Father?" (John 14:7-9, para-
phrased). Christ came to save us from our sins (Matt. 1:21). He also
came to abolish that which had separated us from Him, to remove our
filthy rags, and to clothe us in the garments of His righteousness (2 Cor.
3:13; Eph. 2:15; 2 Tim. 1:10). Thus we are restored to relationship with
Him (Zech. 3:1-5).
Christ came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). He is like
Hosea who sought His estranged wife (Hos. 3:1-5). He is the shepherd
who went in search of the lost sheep. He is like the woman in the story
of the lost coin, and He is like the father who restored his wandering
son (Luke 15). No longer are we foreigners and strangers. Here and
now, we are members of the household of God! (Eph. 2:19). The life
and death of Christ constitute our adoption papers into God's family
(Rom. 8:15, 23; 9:4; Gal. 4:5).
If we were adopted into an earthly family of royalty, we might
feel out of place. How can we feel at home in the royal family of
God?
10
Thursday
March 30
THE INTERRELATEDNESS OF DOCTRINE (John 5:39, 40;
Luke 24:27; 2 Tim. 3:16).
What golden thread unites the Scriptures? Why were the Scrip-
tures given? John 5:39, 40; Luke 24:27; 2 Tim. 3:16.
Some look at particular doctrines in isolation from other aspects of
Christianity. Often the doctrines themselves are seen in isolation from
each other. It is tempting to pick and choose the doctrines that appeal
to us. For example, some may say that we must accept the seventh-day
Sabbath and the Second Coming, essential doctrines of the Seventh-
day Adventist Church, but that we need not accept a literal six-day
Creation as recorded in Genesis.
Come with me to a beautiful beach of white sand. On each side of us
are rocky cliffs. The waves roll in before us and splash high on the cliffs
beside us. The sky is fleeced with clouds, and the setting sun glistens
on the wet sand and sparkles in the splashing waves. What a great
sight!
Now watch as the scene changes. We are looking at the same beach
and rocks and waves, but the clouds have rolled in. It is windy, cold,
and drizzling. The sky is dark gray. No glistening of the sun on the sand,
no tint of pink in the sky delights our eyes. We are sitting in the same
place, but are we viewing the same scene?
So it is when we behold biblical doctrine. When we remove or distort
one of the doctrines from the scene, it is as if the sun is blocked by the
clouds. We might be sitting in the same place, but the picture is not the
same. What is most important is that the "Son" shines through all
doctrines.
"The truth for this time is broad in its outlines, far reaching, embrac-
ing many doctrines; but these doctrines are not detached items, which
mean little; they are united by golden threads, forming a complete
whole, with Christ as the living center. The truths we present from the
Bible are as firm and immovable as the throne of
God."—Selected
Messages,
book 2, p. 87.
"It was a whole sacrifice that was made for us, and it is a full
salvation we may receive as the result. Christ is our living Center.
Divine truth, which is shining upon us in its bright, clear, distinct rays,
is not detached atoms of doctrines, loose and disconnected. . . . Christ's
mission and work are threads of gold binding all together and constitut-
ing a complete
whole."—Manuscript Releases,
vol. 19, p. 91.
Consider specific Bible doctrines, such as the Second Com-
ing, and discuss ways in which they interrelate with one another.
How is Jesus the center of each one?
11
Friday
March 31
FURTHER STUDY:
For more biblical insight into this week's
topic, read Job 13:16; Isa. 12:2; Jer. 3:14; Matt. 25:1-13; Rom. 5:10,
15-18; 6:23; 13:10; 2 Cor. 5:18-20; Eph. 4:7; 5:21-32; Col. 1:21;
2 Tim. 2:10; 1 John 5:12; Rev. 21:2, 9.
Read "Growing Up Into Christ," in
Steps to Christ,
pp. 67-75.
This week we studied how Christ is the center of all biblical teach-
ings. The following account will help us appreciate how our desire for
the Second Coming and heaven needs to be centered in Christ: A
teacher once asked a class what comes to mind when they think of
Christ's second coming and heaven. They mentioned the sound of the
trumpet, the majesty of the Advent that every eye would see, and the
resurrection of the dead. Heaven brought to mind pearly gates, streets
of gold, mansions they would build, and vineyards they would plant.
Then, yes, of course, the privilege of being reunited with loved ones.
After a long pause someone spoke up and said, "You know what I am
looking forward to most of all? I want to see Jesus and live with Him
and with loved ones throughout eternity!"
"I want the eternal weight of glory; I want to see Jesus, who
suffered and died a shameful death on the cross of Calvary. I want to
cast my crown at His feet and I want to touch the golden harp and fill
all heaven with sweetest
music."—Sermons and Talks,
vol. 2, p. 34.
"We can afford to toil here, afford to be pilgrims and strangers. If I lose
heaven, I lose everything. Oh, I do want to see Jesus and live in His
presence and I do want you should see
Him."—Manuscript Releases,
vol
7, p. 34.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
What is uppermost in your mind when you think of the Second
Coming?
2.
When you think of meeting Jesus, do you view that event with
rejoicing or some apprehension? Explain.
3.
What is the most important thing you can do to ensure that you
will be ready? How can you best share the joy of His near
coming with others?
SUMMARY:
The goal of Christianity is the restoration of our relation-
ship with God and with our fellow human beings. This begins the
moment Christ becomes the heart of all our doctrines and conduct. In
lesson two we shall see that doctrine and lifestyle, anchored in God's
grace, are essential to a mature relationship with Jesus. Our face-to-face
relationship with Him will take place at His second coming, when the
righteous will live in the presence of God for eternity.
12
God's Taxi
R. R. Tornalejo
The summer sun beat down on Myma Manta, literature evangelist
working in a Muslim area of the Philippines, as she struggled with a
heavy carton of books she was delivering to workers at the power plant in
her territory. No public transportation serves the power plant, since
workers ride the company bus to work. She would have to walk several
miles from the highway to the plant, carrying her heavy load. She stopped
every few meters to rest and soon realized that she would never make it to
the plant without help. But since no vehicles passed by her on the road,
she struggled on, stopping often to rest.
"I can't manage this," she admitted as she set her carton of
books down beside the road. "Lord, please send someone to help
me carry these books."
A few minutes later a white taxicab appeared and stopped
several feet from her. "Where are you going?" the driver asked.
"To the power plant," she replied as she loaded her carton of books
into the trunk and slid into the cab. In a few minutes the cab stopped at the
gate of the power plant. Mrs. Manta retrieved her books and set the carton
beside the security guard's gate. But when she turned to pay the taxi
driver, the cab was gone. She looked around the corner to see if the driver
was turning around, but the cab was nowhere. Puzzled, she asked the
security guard which way the taxi had gone.
"I did not see a car drive by," the guard answered.
"But a white taxicab just delivered me here," she explained.
"No, madam, I saw no cab, just you carrying that carton," he said.
"But I could not carry this box. I came in a cab," Mrs. Manta
insisted. "You must have seen it." But the guard just smiled, as if
the summer sun had taken its toll on the woman.
Then it dawned on her.
If
a
person had brought me to the gate,
the guard would have seen him. It must
have been an angel! The Lord sent that
angel to help me carry my books!
Over-
whelmed with gratitude, she thanked the
guard, picked up her precious burden,
and went inside the plant to deliver the
books to waiting customers.
Myrna Manta (left). R. R. Tornalejo is
dean of the literature ministry seminary in
Cagayan de Oro, Philippines.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
r
!
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
13
Lesson 2
April 1-7
The Authority of the Bible
and the Second Coming
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Deut. 29:29; Ps. 111:10; Isa.
66:2; Jer. 8:9; Matt. 7:24-29; Luke 24:25-27; John 5:39; 1 Cor. 1:20,
21; 2 Tim. 3:15; 2 Pet. 1:19-21.
MEMORY TEXT: "For whatever things were written before were
written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort
of the Scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15:4, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHTS:
God reveals the promise of the Second Coming in
His Holy Word. Apart from the Bible, we would be clueless about the
future and God's role in it.
THE CERTAINTY ABOUT THE SECOND COMING AND THE
CERTAINTY OF GOD'S WORD.
How do we know about the
future? People desire to know what lies in the future, and they wish to
control it so as to secure their own best interest. They attempt to
discover the future in many ways. Some seek information from sup-
posed spirits of the dead and from fortunetellers. Others tend to go to
science and various human disciplines to try to predict the future.
Thus, it is the goal of many in our day to discover the future without
seeking any special word from the Lord.
Without the Word of God, our concepts of the future will be just as
varied and flawed as the attempts to control it. How can we, then, know
the future? God has revealed it to us! We can know that Jesus is coming
again only because of what He has revealed to us in His Word, as we
shall study this week.
14
Sunday
April 2
THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE (2 Tim. 3:15; 2 Pet. 1:19-21;
3:2-16; 1 Cor. 10:11).
Many people view Scripture as they would any other piece of
literature. They see the Bible as arising out of bits and pieces of
Hebrew and Christian folklore. They assume that it is simply the result
of the merging, collecting, and editing of these early traditions. They
suppose that Scripture reflects the cultures of the time. Therefore,
biblical predictions about the Second Coming of Christ become for
them little more than the collective dream of past generations.
The Bible is unique because it is not of human creation. Although
prophets participated in the process, the result is the Word of God. To
be sure, God communicated His message to people living in a specific
time and place. His message was relayed through the prophets' own
language, culture, and thought forms. The result was guided by the
Holy Spirit in such a way that the Bible conveys God's trustworthy
message. The Bible is the Word of God.
"It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that
were inspired. Inspiration acts not on the man's words . . . but on the
man himself, who, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, is imbued with
thoughts.... The divine mind and will is combined with the human mind
and will; thus the utterances of the man are the Word of God."—Ellen G.
White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
7, pp. 945, 946.
How does the Bible view its own authority? 2 Pet. 1:19-21.
How much of the Bible is inspired, and what is its function?
2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pet. 3:2-16; 1 Cor. 10:11.
Some wish to disregard the authority of the Bible when they develop
their concepts of the future and their ways of resolving problems. They
wish to make the future conform to their own dreams of the ideal life by
any means at their disposal. In many other ways we are tempted to act
independently of God in our efforts to control the future. However, we
must always allow our all-loving and all-wise God to guide us now
and in the future.
What difference does your view of the Bible make in your
understanding of the future? What difference does it make in
your life if you do not accept the biblical promise of the resur-
rection at the Second Coming? (1 Cor. 15:19). Do you feel the
need to control the Bible, or are you willing to submit your life
and future to its authority?
15
Monday
April 3
GOD IS KNOWN IN HIS SELF-REVELATION (Deut. 29:29;
1 Cor. 1:21; Isa. 44:9-19).
How can we know who God is? Deut. 29:29; 1 Sam. 3:21; Matt.
11:27; 1 Cor. 2:6-10.
Why is it that the heathen do not know God? Rom. 1:21, 22;
10:14; 1 Cor. 1:21.
Some religions attempt to gain their knowledge of God by observing
the natural world. They study historical events, catastrophes in nature,
chance happenings, relationships, and then attempt to develop con-
cepts of God that fit their observations. If they view the world as harsh,
then they see God as harsh. If the world is mysterious, then God is
mysterious. If their world is erratic, then God is erratic.
How does Isaiah 44:9-19 illustrate fallen humanity's tendency to
put God last in life and to create a god who is in harmony with their
observations of the natural world?
"Human talents and human conjecture have tried by searching to
find out God. Many have trodden this pathway. The highest intellect
may tax itself until it is wearied out, in conjectures regarding God, but
the effort will be fruitless, and the fact will remain that man by searching
cannot find out God. This problem has not been given us to solve. All
that man needs to know and can know of God has been revealed in the
life and character of His Son, the Great Teacher. As we learn more and
more of what man is, of what we ourselves are, in God's sight, we shall
fear and tremble before
Him."—Medical Ministry,
p. 95. "No mortal
mind can penetrate the secrecy in which the Mighty One dwells and
works. . . . Heart and intellect must bow to the great I
AM."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 438.
What distinguishes Christianity from other religions? God's self-
revelation in Jesus Christ and in the Bible. Praise God we
can
know Him
because He has revealed Himself to us. We do not have to walk in
darkness, for the light has come (John 1:1-10).
Professing to become wise, many become fools. They exchange the
truth of God for a lie (Rom. 1:18-28). By contrast, the gospel reveals the
fullness of God, including His righteousness (Rom. 1:16, 17).
God created us in His image. In what ways are we tempted to
"create" Him in our image? What is the remedy?
16
Tuesday
April 4
THE BIBLE ALONE THE BATTLE CRY OF THE REFORMA-
TION (Isa. 8:20; Matt. 21:42; 26:54-56; Luke 24:25-27; John 5:39).
The apostolic church accepted Jesus Christ and Scripture as the
foundation for their theology and their lifestyle (Eph. 2:20). A century
down the highway of history, emphasis on the authority of the Bible as
the Word of God began to fade as the church turned to pagan philoso-
phy in order to reach the pagans.
Gradually, the authority of the Bible was supplemented by other
sources. It was the Bible and philosophy, the Bible and church author-
ity and tradition, the Bible and church councils, the Bible and nature.
The Reformation responded to this diminished role of the Bible with
its restoration as sole authority. The slogan "the Bible alone" did not
mean that God could not speak through nature, reason, or ecclesiastical
authorities. Rather, it meant that the Bible was the authority for deter-
mining how and when God had spoken or would speak elsewhere.
How did Jesus Himself relate to the authority of the
Scriptures?
What impact does this have on your view of its authority?
Matt. 21:42
26:54-56
Luke 24:25-27
John 5:39
Martin Luther's insistence on the sole authority of the Bible became
the rallying cry of the Reformation. "Fearlessly did Luther defend the
gospel from the attacks which came from every quarter. The word of
God proved itself a weapon mighty in every conflict. With that word he
warred against the usurped authority of the pope, and the rationalistic
philosophy of the schoolmen, while he stood firm as a rock against the
fanaticism that sought to ally itself with the Reformation.
"Each of these opposing elements was in its own way setting aside
the Holy Scriptures and exalting human wisdom as the source of reli-
gious truth and knowledge. . . . True Christianity receives the word of
God as the great treasure house of inspired truth and the test of all
inspiration."—The Great Controversy,
p. 193.
Is it possible to study the Bible in such a way as to impose the
biases of culture and tradition upon it, rather than allowing it to
transform the mind and behavior?
17
Wednesday
April 5
THE BIBLE AND HUMAN STUDIES (Jer. 8:9; 1 Tim. 6:20;
Matt. 7:24-29; Ps. 111:10; 1 Cor. 1:20).
Our age is enamored with science. Science has put people on the
moon, performed miracles on the operating table, and revolutionized
our world with the computer chip. Science apart from God defines what
we should believe and how we should live. Science has been so suc-
cessful that disciplines such as history, psychology, and even theol-
ogy would like to model themselves after it. Disciplines such as archae-
ology, geology, etc. can be helpful in confirming the Bible as long as
they do not become the
basis
of our faith. They should never become
the factor that determines whether the Bible is true. If we take such an
approach, the Bible would no longer remain our authority, as it was in
the apostolic church and in the Reformation. The basis of our faith and
the guide to our life must always be Jesus and His Word.
What causes the wise to become ashamed and dismayed? Jer. 8:9;
1 Tim. 6:20.
How does Jesus' parable in Matthew 7:24-29 affirm your faith
in and make you more dependent on God's solid Word?
A house is built upon a foundation, and its design and structure
follow a set of plans. It has doors, windows, a kitchen, a dining room,
bedrooms, and a roof. Without these, it would not be a house. Without
its foundation, it would not long stand. So it is with our lives. They are
composed of many elements, social circles, talents, reasoning abilities,
emotions, etc. All contribute to making our lives worth living. If, how-
ever, we attempt to build upon the foundation of our reason or our
emotions instead of the Word of God, our lives would crumble as did
the house built upon the sand (Matt. 7:26).
What do the following texts teach you about the Source of truth and
understanding?
John 14:6
Col. 2:3, 4
Ps. 111:10
How can we build our lives upon the solid rock of God's truth
instead of upon the shifting sands of human knowledge?
18
Thursday
April 6
THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE AND ITS INTERPRETA-
TION (2 Cor. 4:2-6; 2 Tim. 2:15; Isa. 66:2).
What warning does Paul give about the way we handle the
Word of God? 2 Cor. 4:2. What counsel does he give Timothy in
this regard? 2 Tim. 2:15.
How can our minds be blinded to understanding the gospel,
and what is the remedy to such blindness? 2 Cor. 4:3-6.
The Reformation emphasis upon the sole authority of the Bible
brought with it the need to allow the Bible to be its own interpreter. The
Reformers meant not only that one portion of the Bible is useful for
interpreting other portions of the Bible but also that the Bible is to
provide its own context for interpretation. To start with and focus on
philosophy, science, or tradition is to rob the Bible of its authority.
"How shall we search the Scriptures? Shall we drive our stakes of
doctrine one after another, and then try to make all Scripture meet our
established opinions, or shall we take our ideas and views to the
Scriptures, and measure our theories on every side by the Scriptures of
truth? . . . Many give the words of Scripture a meaning that suits their
own opinions, and they mislead themselves and deceive others by their
misinterpretations of God's word. As we take up the study of God's
word, we should do so with humble hearts. All selfishness, all love of
originality, should be laid aside. . . .
"Those who sincerely desire truth will not be reluctant to lay open
their positions for investigation and criticism, and will not be annoyed
if their opinions and ideas are crossed. . . .
"As long as we hold to our own ideas and opinions with determined
persistency, we cannot have the unity for which Christ prayed."
—"Search the Scriptures,"
Ellen G. White Present Truth and Review
and Herald Articles
(July 26, 1892), vol. 2, p. 585.
In order to reach our culture with the gospel, we sometimes try to
impose it upon the Bible. While we need to make the message of the
Bible clear and applicable to daily life in different cultures, we must not
try to make it fit our mold. The role of the Bible when read under the
guidance and the power of the Holy Spirit is to bring about transforma-
tion of our thinking and our lives.
Do I sincerely want to know God's will for my life when I
study His Word, or do I simply want to defend my own precon-
ceived ideas? Am I willing to submit my mind to the Word of
God in order to be transformed by it?
19
Friday
April
7
FURTHER STUDY:
Exod. 14:18; Josh. 3:10; Ps. 119:98-100, 105,
130; Isa. 1:1; 40:12-28; 54:13; Dan. 11:32; Zeph. 1:1; John 10:35, 36;
14:6-11; Rom. 1:20; 1 John 1:1-3; 2:5.
For more on the role of Scripture in preparation for the Second
Coming, read "The Scriptures a Safeguard," in
The Great Controversy,
pp. 593-602.
The principles of the Bible and grace alone parallel one another.
Salvation is the gift of God. Not a shred of human devising adds to its
foundation. Also, the Bible is a gift of God to be accepted by faith.
Such faith itself is another gift of God. Just as salvation is not founded
upon or manipulated by human effort, so the Word of God is not
founded upon or manipulated by human wisdom. Just as salvation
comes by the grace of God alone, so does God's self-revelation in the
Bible come by grace alone. Just as human works have their proper place
as the outgrowth of salvation, so also does reason have its proper place
when it is founded upon God's Word. When Christianity loses one of
these principles, it invariably loses the other. If we lose the principle of
the authority of the Bible, we also will lose our understanding of the
principle of salvation as the gift of God, for they go hand in hand as
God's gifts.
The relation of the authority of the Bible to the certainty of the
Second Coming is as follows:
1.
We would not have knowledge or assurance of the Second Com-
ing without the Bible.
2.
The Bible brings knowledge of God and salvation, which prepares
us for the Second Coming.
3.
The Bible provides the message of the everlasting gospel to be
preached at the end of time.
4.
The Second Coming is linked to the biblical theme of the great
controversy. Those who properly prepare for and proclaim Christ's
return are loyal and obedient to the Word of God.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Why is it important for us to have sound biblical doctrine? (See
1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 4:3; Titus 1:9.)
2.
What role will the authority of the Bible play in end-time
events leading to the Second Coming?
SUMMARY:
The certainty of the Bible as God's Word is the founda-
tion of our belief in the Second Coming. Without the Bible we would be
without knowledge or hope of being reunited with God at the end of
time.
20
The Warrior Bees
J. H. Zachary
Enemies seemed determined to destroy the village of Laiagam,
in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. For several weeks warriors
from two neighboring villages had terrorized the community, burning
houses, slaughtering animals, and destroying crops. Several people
had been killed. Laiagam was located between the two warring
tribes. Burning arrows, aimed at the fighting villages, sometimes
fell in Laiagam, destroying several homes. The villagers feared for
their lives.
A little Adventist church stood amidst the carnage in Laiagam.
The little group of believers met at their beloved church to decide
what to do. They agreed that it would be best if they left the village
until the fighting ended. As they left their little church, they felt
that this would be the last time they would see it standing. How-
ever, one young member decided to stay in the village and watch
over the church.
Shortly after the believers left, Alo, the young man, heard the
sounds of an advancing war party. He could see the glow of their
lighted torches as they neared the church. He knew that within
minutes the church would be burned to the ground.
Alo fell to his knees, praying for God's help. "Lord, help me do
what I can to save this church." Quickly he picked up a piece of
plastic pipe with a funnel attached to one end. The believers used
this homemade trumpet to call worshipers to church. He blew into
the trumpet, which made a loud blast, and again asked God for
help. By now the mob had advanced to a few meters from the
church. Then they stopped.
The sky seemed to darken as a huge cloud of bees swarmed
over the warriors and attacked them. The warriors dropped their
weapons and fled through the ruins of the village and into the
bush, swatting wildly at the stinging bees.
Word of the warring bees that saved the Adventist church
spread through the highlands of Papua New Guinea. The believers
returned and held a praise service in their beloved church. The
believers testify, "We know that God sent bees to fight against our
enemies and save our church!"
J. H. Zachary is international evangelism coordinator for The Quiet
Hour. He works in cooperation with the Ministerial Association of the
General Conference.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
2I
Lesson 3
April 8-14
Creation and the Second
Coming
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 2 Pet. 3:1-16; Isa. 65:17;
Rev. 21:1; 22:1, 2, 13.
MEMORY TEXT: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning
and the End, the First and the Last" (Revelation 22:13, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHT:
Our concept of the origin of the world and life
upon it affects our concepts of God and the Second Coming.
THE BIBLE AND THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION.
The most popu-
lar theory of origin is the theory of evolution. It asserts that life on this
earth evolved from matter by chance over a period of millions to billions
of years. Some Christians (theistic evolutionists) accept the theory of evolu-
tion with modifications. They believe that life did not evolve by chance but
that it came into being as a small cell by divine miracle and that life has
evolved from that cell over long ages by God's direction.
The theory of evolution has brought about drastic changes in our
view of the origin of life and in our moral values. Do we live by the
golden rule or by the survival of the fittest? Acceptance of evolution
even changes our view of salvation, why it was necessary, and what it
accomplishes; and it destroys assurance in the Second Coming.
This week, let us keep in mind that a belief in a biblical Creation is
essential for the certainty of the Second Coming. The purpose of
Christ's coming is to restore humanity to its original state. Unless there
were an original Creation of six literal consecutive days, as described in
Genesis, there would be nothing to which to restore humanity.
22
Sunday
April 9
THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT OF CREATION (Gen. 1:1-2:3;
Ps. 33:6, 9; 1 Cor. 15:53, 54; Col. 1:16, 17; Rev. 21:3).
How does the biblical concept of origins differ from the long evolu-
tionary processes that we hear about today? Gen. 1:1-2:3; John 1:3;
Col. 1:16, 17; Ps. 33:6, 9.
Though some interpreters wish to give the first eleven chapters of
Genesis a figurative meaning, the rest of the Bible takes these chapters
seriously. Christ and the New Testament writers referred to Adam as a
historical figure (Matt. 19:4-6; Luke 3:38; Rom. 5:14; 1 Cor. 15:22, 45;
1 Tim. 2:13; Jude 14). They understood the Flood to be a literal event
(Matt. 24:38, 39; 2 Pet. 2:5). The most radical critics, even though they
do not take the Bible seriously, believe that the Bible writers thought
they were recording a literal event.
The Creation account sets the stage for the relationship between
God and His human creation. God and humankind were in face-to-face
communion with each other.
Creation provides an important parallel to Christ's second coming
when we will be restored to our original state and relationship with
God. As you look up the following texts, write down in your own words
what this restoration will mean. 1 Cor. 15:53, 54; Rev. 21:3.
The apostle Peter makes a connection between the Second Coming
and Creation. In the last days scoffers will come saying, "Where is the
promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things
continue as they were from the beginning of creation" (2 Pet. 3:4,
NKJV). They do not recognize that the same Word of God that
brought about the Creation of the world will also bring about the
events taking place at the Second Coming (2 Pet. 3:5-7).
"Before the Flood God sent Noah to warn the world, that the people
might be led to repentance, and thus escape the threatened destruction.
As the time of Christ's second appearing draws near, the Lord sends
His servants with a warning to the world to prepare for that great event.
Multitudes have been living in transgression of God's law, and now He
in mercy calls them to obey its sacred precepts. All who will put away
their sins by repentance toward God and faith in Christ are offered
pardon."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 102.
What connection do you make between Creation and the Sec-
ond Coming? Do you long to be reunited with God face to face?
How can you help others this week to meet Him?
23
Monday
April 10
CREATION, THE BIBLE, AND THE SECOND COMING
(2 Pet. 3:1-16; Isa. 65:17; Rev. 21:1; 22:1, 2, 13).
What does Peter warn the believers about, and what does he
counsel them to do? 2 Pet. 3:15-18.
How would acceptance of theistic evolution affect what we think of
the Bible? The evolutionary concept of origins calls the teachings of
the Bible into question. Jesus, who Himself is the Truth, took Genesis
and the rest of the Scriptures seriously; so should we. For example, if we
have problems with the miracle of Creation, then we might also have
problems with other biblical miracles such as the crossing of the Red
Sea, the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, and His second coming. If
God either could not or did not act at the beginning of human history in
the way described in Genesis 1 and 2, then why would we think that He
will act to end human history by His second coming?
How does the promise of the creation of a new heaven and new earth
affirm our faith in the doctrine of Creation and the Second Coming?
Isa. 65:17; Rev. 21:1; 22:1, 2.
If Christ did not create by the word of His mouth, then why would we
think that He will do so in the creation of a new earth and a new heaven?
If we accept theistic evolution, we have already begun to question the
biblical accounts and promises of God's miraculous activities.
Theistic evolution alters our concept of the nature of the Bible
itself. It would lead to the idea that the Bible did not come by the
Word of God to the prophet, but it came by social evolution. The Bible
would be viewed as the evolving literature of many ancient Near
Eastern societies. Over many generations and in many different social
contexts various editors and schools of thought brought the pieces of
literature together in the form in which we now find them in the Bible.
According to this theory, the Bible is the result of human genius rather
than the Word of God. This, however, is not so.
"The deepest students of science are constrained to recognize in
nature the working of infinite power. But to man's unaided reason,
nature's teaching cannot but be contradictory and disappointing. Only
in the light of revelation [Scripture] can it be read
aright."—Education,
p. 134.
Recall times in your spiritual walk when God's revelation in the
Scriptures helped you to view things in the right perspective. Why
is such light so essential to guard you against Satan's deceptions?
24
Tuesday
April 11
CREATION, GOD, AND THE SECOND COMING (Ps. 139:4; John
16:30; Acts 1:11; 1 John 4:7, 16; Jude 25; Rev. 16:7).
What do the following texts tell you about our Lord's characteris-
tics?
Ps. 139:4
John 16:30
1 John 4:7, 16
Jude 25
Rev. 16:7
God is not only a God of power and intelligence but also a God of
love. Would a God of love drag His creation through such a long
process of evolution—with all the suffering that comes through the
survival of the fittest—finally to bring forth a creature in His own
image?
Some mistakenly suppose that if God is a God of love and power,
maybe He is not very intelligent. After all, how smart could He be if
only through the process of suffering could humanity be created?
With theistic evolution, suffering is not the result of sin. Accordingly,
since humanity came into being through a process of the survival of
the fittest, it is implied that suffering is inherent in God's process of
creation.
Another unacceptable possibility we are left with is that God is a
God of love and intelligence, but lacking in power. The best that He
could do was to create humankind through evolution. He could not
bring us into being by the word of His mouth. Thus, we cannot choose
the biblical notion of God as all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving
and also hold the notion of theistic evolution.
Furthermore, theistic evolution raises questions about God's ac-
tions in history. If God operated only in the shadows of history while
creating life, we must ask whether He will step decisively into history in
the Second Coming. If He did not create us by the word of His mouth,
will He re-create us in the resurrection of the dead at the Second
Coming? Theistic evolution, in actuality, is stating either that God does
not or cannot act in the way the Bible says He has acted in history.
"Our little world is the lesson book of the universe. God's wonder-
ful purpose of grace, the mystery of redeeming love, is the theme into
which 'angels desire to look.'
"—The Desire of Ages,
p. 19.
25
Wednesday
April 12
CREATION, HUMANITY, AND THE SECOND COMING (Gen.
2:7; 1 Cor. 15:42-55).
How was humankind created? Gen. 2:7. How do you relate this
creation to the resurrection and Christ's second coming? 1 Cor.
15:42-55.
The Bible presents Adam as one. The soul is not a separate entity;
rather, it is an integral and indivisible part of what it is to be a living
being.
Theistic evolution challenges this biblical concept of human nature.
It does not allow our creation as a living soul. It states that we evolved
from nothing over many years and were at some point given a soul. It
teaches that the soul is an essence separate from us (that we are not a
unity). Thus, room is left for the concept of the immortal soul and its
preexistence.
At this point, the concept of theistic evolution is self-contradictory.
First, it questions whether God steps into history at all and whether
miracles actually take place. Then it states that some animal was infused
with a soul and became a human. Is not the infusion of a soul, at some
point in time, however, a historical and miraculous event? If so, why not
simply accept the biblical account rather than create another?
Theistic evolution also raises questions about the resurrection. If
God either cannot or does not create by simply uttering His creative
word, why should He do so in a resurrection? Furthermore, if He does
bring about a resurrection by the word of His mouth at the Second
Coming, why not acknowledge His original creative act?
"These philosophers would make us believe that man, the crowning
work of creation, came by slow degrees from the savage state, and that
farther back, he was evolved from the race of brutes. They are so intent
upon excluding God from the sovereignty of the universe, that they
demean man, and defraud him of the dignity of his origin. Nature is
exalted above the God of nature; she is idolized, while her Creator is
buried up and concealed from sight by science falsely so-called."
—"Science and the Bible in Education,"
Ellen G. White Articles, The
Signs of the Times
(March 20, 1884), vol. 1, p. 419.
Humans were originally created in God's image (Gen. 1:26, 27).
How does this concept contrast with the evolutionary concept of hu-
man development? Many believe that humans are becoming bet-
ter and better. Contrast this optimistic notion with the biblical concept
of sin (2 Tim. 3:13). What blessings result from trusting God's Word
and His plan in our creation and ultimate restoration?
26
Thursday
April 13
CREATION, SALVATION, AND THE SECOND COMING
(Rom. 5:6-12, 14, 21; 6:23; 1 Cor. 15:21, 22; Heb. 2:9-18; 9:15, 16).
What does the Bible teach about the origin of sin and its effects
upon all of humankind? Rom. 5:12, 14,21; 6:23. How does this biblical
concept contrast with the ideas of evolution?
The biblical concept of sin is called into question by theistic evolu-
tion. Accordingly, human beings did not fall from the image of God into
sin, for they were never created in the image of God. Rather, they were
and are evolving into the image of God.
If, perchance, theistic evolution accepts the biblical concept of sin, it
must assert that humanity was created sinful in the process of evolu-
tion. If so, what might we be led to assume about a God who would
create sinful human beings?
Such theory calls into question the biblical concept of the substitu-
tionary death of Jesus. If we are in the process of progressive evolu-
tion, then there was no event of sin; and if there was not a fall into sin,
then there is no need of a savior from sin. Jesus might play the role of a
moral, visionary leader, a catalyst to speed up the process of progres-
sive evolution, but not the role of our substitute, for no substitute
would be needed.
What does the Scripture say about the basis of our salvation from
sin? Rom. 5:6-11; 1 Cor. 15:21, 22; Heb. 2:9-18; 9:15, 16. How does
the biblical teaching on salvation from sin and ultimate restoration
contrast with evolutionary concepts?
The themes of the great controversy and the plan of salvation are
crucially important to Seventh-day Adventist theology. Theistic evolu-
tion would reinterpret these themes: The great controversy would be
played out in the process of evolution, rather than between Christ and
Satan. The plan of salvation would be worked out as evolutionary
progress, rather than as God's communication, presence, incarnation,
suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, sanctuary ministry, second
coming, re-creation of the new earth, etc.
How would I regard myself and my role in life if I thought my origin
were found apart from God? How would this vision of self affect my
morals, my treatment of others, and my concept of the future? Com-
pare your answers with those given as you regard yourself as a son or
daughter of God, created in His image, restored to His image by His
grace, and destined to eternal life in glory at His second coming.
27
Friday
April 14
FURTHER STUDY: Read the entire chapters of Genesis 1; Romans
5; 1 Corinthians 15.
Read the chapter "Science and the Bible," in
Education,
pp. 128-134.
Adventism will not be Adventism if it accepts theistic evolution. We
must always affirm our faith in the active God who created by the word
of His mouth and who communicated through the prophets and apostles.
The Savior who lived among us, died in our place, and was resurrected
and ascended to minister for us in the heavenly sanctuary. Our Lord will
return the second time to receive us unto Himself, will bring about the
resurrection of the dead and the recreation of the new earth, and will
finally destroy sin. This is the God we worship. We worship the God of
Creation, a personal God who desires to fellowship with us, dwell among
us, and finally receive us into His eternal kingdom of glory.
"The warnings of the word of God regarding the perils surrounding
the Christian church belong to us today. As in the days of the apostles
men tried by tradition and philosophy to destroy faith in the Scriptures,
so today, by the pleasing sentiments of higher criticism, evolution,
spiritualism, theosophy, and pantheism, the enemy of righteousness is
seeking to lead souls into forbidden paths. . . . The work of higher
criticism, in dissecting, conjecturing, reconstructing, is destroying faith
in the Bible as a divine revelation. It is robbing God's word of power to
control, uplift, and inspire human lives."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
p. 474.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
How does our view of God's activities in the past affect our
concept of how God will act in the future?
2.
How does it strengthen your faith to know about God's activity
in Creation and His plans for the future?
3.
How does the fact that you came from God's creative hands, that
you have accepted His salvation, and that you are anticipating
the Second Coming impact your relationship and witness to
others?
SUMMARY:
We do not need to reinterpret the biblical concept of the
Second Coming and the New Earth. The Bible teaches us that God did
break into history in Creation, and He surely will do so in a literal,
visible second coming. He did create by the word of His mouth, and
He will re-create in the resurrection. He did originally create the
Garden of Eden, and He will re-create the new earth. Thank God we
can have hope in the future Second Coming, because God is our
Creator and Redeemer!
28
The Church on Spirit Hill, Part 1
Khut Chouen
Mr. Eae (ee) couldn't wait to share with his neighbors what he
was learning about the living God, who hears and answers prayers.
Soon four families in his village in Cambodia were meeting
together in a tiny house to worship. The group continued to grow,
and soon they needed a larger place to worship.
As they began searching for suitable land on which to build a
church, they realized that all the suitable land in or near their
village had been claimed and built upon. The only land not
already claimed was low land which often was under water dur-
ing the rainy season.
There remained one place where no one had built. It was the
highest land in the area and was located at the edge of the village.
No one had built on the land because a spirit lived in the banyan
tree on the property. The land belonged to one of the new believ-
ers, who suggested, "Let's ask God to chase the spirit away so we
can build the church there." The believers agreed.
The following morning the men gathered around the little
spirit house that stood in front of the banyan tree. They sang
praises to God and claimed God's promise to "resist the devil,
and he will flee from you" (James 4:7, 8, NIV). They moved the
spirit house to the foot of the hill, where the other villagers could
still worship at it. Then they leveled the ground and built a
temporary chapel from palm thatch.
Before they could build a permanent church, the group had to
get permission from several government leaders in the area. The
village chief willingly agreed, but the district officer, a strong
Buddhist, refused. The believers asked their district pastor to
appeal to the officer on their behalf, but still the man refused. "I
do not want any other religion, especially Christianity, to come
into this district," the official said. "Buddhism is the state reli-
gion; it has served the people for centuries. Why should I allow
this foreign religion to disrupt the peace in the area? Besides,
what can a small group of Christians contribute to the happiness
of the people here?"
Nothing the believers or the pastor said convinced the official
to change his mind. All the believers could do was pray.
(Continued next week)
Khut Chouen works in the Cambodian Mission.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
29
Lesson 4
April 15-21
The Sabbath and the
Second Coming
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Gen. 2:3; Exod. 20:8-11;
Deut. 5:12-15; Isa. 58:13, 14; Heb. 3:16-4:10; Rev. 14:6, 7, 12.
MEMORY TEXT: "'For as the new heavens and the new earth
which I will make shall remain before Me,' says the Lord, 'so
shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall
come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one
Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,'
says the Lord" (Isaiah 66:22, 23, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHTS:
The Sabbath reveals God's nature to be
personal. It also illuminates our entire relationship with Jesus, from
Creation and redemption to reunion with Him at His second coming.
THE SABBATH IS GOD'S INVITATION TO ENTER A PER-
SONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
Why did God give us the
Sabbath? The Sabbath is a sign between God and us, that we may know
that He is our God (Ezek. 20:20). God is a personal Being who desires to
have a relationship with each of us individually. The Sabbath is God's
invitation to spend sacred time with Him. As with all Bible doctrines, the
Sabbath tells us about God and about ourselves and the proper way for us
to relate to Him. Our relationship with God is spelled out for us in His
gift of the Sabbath. It signifies our rest in His acts of Creation and of
redemption in our behalf. This is a foretaste of the heavenly Sabbath rest
that awaits us at Christ's second coming. Jesus came on time the first
time, and we can be sure He will come on time the second time.
30
Sunday
April 16
THE SABBATH MEMORIALIZES GOD AS THE CREATOR
(Gen. 2:1-3; Exod. 31:17; Mark 2:27; Rev. 14:6, 7).
Compare what the Sabbath tells us about:
1. God as our Creator (Gen. 2:1-3; Exod. 20:8-11)
2.
Ourselves as God's creatures (Mark 2:27)
3.
Our relationship with God (Exod. 31:17)
The biblical concept of the Sabbath is, first of all, associated with
Creation. God is to be distinguished from all other gods because He is
the Creator. Since Creation took place through Jesus Christ, the
Sabbath points to His power, authority, and Lordship. We do not
have to be left in doubt as are the heathen. We know who He is.
Everything that exists originated from Him and is dependent upon
Him.
By pointing to God as the Creator, the Sabbath helps us to under-
stand ourselves. We do not exist by chance; we are the creation of
God. While, as human beings, we are creative, we are not the Creator.
We do not sustain ourselves; we are sustained by God. In the twenti-
eth century man sees himself as the creator. He is the maker of the
automobile, the designer of moon and planet rockets, the developer
of home conveniences, the conqueror of disease, and the creator of
his own destiny. Forgetting his true origin, he now sees himself as the
autonomous ruler of the world, if not the universe. What message
does man need more today than to be reminded that he lives in
dependence upon the Creator God? The Sabbath, when kept mean-
ingfully, is a tie between Christ and His people, because it demon-
strates man's recognition of his dependence upon God as Creator and
Sustainer.
What role does the Sabbath play in the proclamation of the
gospel prior to Christ's second coming? Rev. 14:6, 7.
Think of ways in which the Sabbath enhances your walk with
God. In what way is it a foretaste of heaven for you?
31
Monday
April 17
THE SABBATH AND REDEMPTION (Dent. 5:15; Exod. 31:13;
Ezek. 20:12).
Explain the relationship between redemption and the Sabbath in the
experience of the children of Israel. Deut. 5:15.
The Sabbath is the Christian's memorial of deliverance from sin.
Just as God created us out of nothing by the power of His word, so He
is able to deliver us from sin by re-creating us in His own image.
When our mind is in harmony with that of another person, we are
able to enter a fuller relationship. So also, when we are re-created in
the image of God, we can be restored to full relationship with Him.
Thus, the Sabbath represents God's desire to bring us back into His
fellowship by restoring us to His own image.
Explain how the Sabbath and sanctification are linked to-
gether. Exod. 31:13; Ezek. 20:12.
Pagan religions are filled with rules and regulations that must be
observed in order to appease the gods. Rituals, set prayers, penance—
all are stepping-stones to celestial bliss. Even the history of Chris-
tianity is littered with examples of Christians who have attempted to
make their own way into the kingdom. The Bible is unique in its
teaching that we cannot lift ourselves into heaven.
Some think of Sabbath keeping as a form of legalism. They see
God as a stern judge just waiting to bring down judgment on those
who do not properly keep the Sabbath. However, "The Sabbath was
made for man, and not man for the Sabbath" (Mark. 2:27, NKJV). But
does that mean we should make void the Sabbath because it was made
for our benefit? No, we establish the Sabbath. It was not meant for our
own independent, selfish pleasure. It was given so that we might
delight ourselves in the Lord (Isa. 58:14).
The Sabbath reaffirms that the Lord of the Sabbath becomes our
redemption and sanctification. It brings assurance of deliverance
from the bondage of sin: "Sabbath" (rest) to our soul. Just as the
Sabbath is set apart for holy use, so are we set apart for God. Such
redemption and sanctification in Christ is the bliss that we experi-
ence walking with Him here, awaiting our walk with Him in heaven.
"And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took
him" (Gen. 5:24, NKJV). How do you identify with Enoch's
walk with God as you await Christ's soon coming? How can you
have a closer walk with Him?
32
Tuesday
April 18
THE SABBATH, A PROMISE OF THE SECOND COMING (Isa.
66:22, 23; Heb. 3:16-4:10).
Explain how Isaiah 66:22, 23 is related to the Second Advent.
What future
hope does the Sabbath give us?
"The Sabbath is an eternal institution. It would have been rightly
honored in the restored Jewish state, and in the new earth to come it
will be observed by all. . . . All will observe the Sabbath in eternal
recognition of Christ as the Creator of the world in its Edenic bliss,
and as the re-Creator of the new heavens and the new earth of
righteousness and holiness."—SDA
Bible Commentary,
vol. 4, p. 338.
The future impacts the present. Our vision of a completed degree, a
future position, a vacation, a promise of a future relationship, all have a
major impact upon the way we think and live in the present. Since the
future impacts the present, it is important that we view the future from
God's standpoint. Without His revelation of the future, we are left
either in despair or with a false hope of a better future.
The Sabbath points not only to the God of Creation and redemption
but also to the God of the future, to the God of the Second Coming, and
to the Creator of the new earth. If we truly live the Sabbath, not merely
observe it, we will rest confident in the hope of Christ's second coming
and a new creation.
Compare the rest that we enter by faith, the heavenly rest,
and the rest on the Sabbath. Heb. 3:16-4:10.
Just as in courtship, the intent of a date is to foster a relationship
between two people; so, the intent of the Sabbath before sin was to
nurture and encourage a deeper relationship between God and our
first parents. After sin, the intent was not only to nurture that relation-
ship but also to restore it. Unfortunately, the Sabbath sometimes
becomes misused as a tool of legalism rather than as a balm for the
soul. At the other extreme, the Sabbath is not taken seriously, and
thus it cannot play its intended role of bringing us back into God's
intended relationship. The Sabbath also foreshadows that which it is
intended to foster—the time when humankind will again be blessed by
face-to-face communion with God.
How would you explain to someone that meaningful Sabbath ob-
servance shows complete trust in God? How does attempting to obtain
salvation by observing the Sabbath destroy true Sabbath keeping?
Think of two ways to help you spend more quality time with God.
33
Wednesday
April 19
SABBATH OBSERVANCE (Gen. 2:3; Exod. 20:11; Luke 4:16;
23:55-24:1; Isa. 58:13, 14).
List the three things associated with the seventh-day Sabbath that
set it apart from the rest of the week. Gen. 2:3; Exod. 20:11. How does
this enrich your view of this special day?
1.
2.
3.
How does the way in which Jesus and His followers regard the
fourth commandment encourage us in our love and obedience to
His will? Luke 4:16; 23:55-24:1.
Since God Himself requested the weekly appointment with us, it
would seem appropriate that He be the One to establish its activities
and parameters. God delights in meaningful observance of the Sab-
bath, because it testifies of a meaningful relationship with Him.
Observance of the Sabbath is not an end in itself; rather, it is giving
God priority in our lives.
How does God want us to enjoy keeping the Sabbath? Isa.
58:13, 14? What does this tell us about God's character?
Meaningful Sabbath observance recognizes God's love and His
intent to banish all traces of sin from the earth made new. Sabbath
observance demonstrates one's faith that Christ is preparing a home
where our relationship with Him will be fully restored.
"As the Sabbath was the sign that distinguished Israel when they
came out of Egypt to enter the earthly Canaan, so it is the sign that
now distinguishes God's people as they come out from the world to
enter the heavenly rest. The Sabbath is a sign of the relationship
existing between God and His people, a sign that they honor His law."
—Testimonies for the Church,
vol. 6, pp. 349, 350.
What activities honor God in keeping holy the day He estab-
lished as a memorial of Creation, redemption, and the expressed
hope of reunion with Him? Share a couple of ideas with your
class members. On what principles do you decide the appropri-
ateness of Sabbath activities?
34
Thursday
April 20
THE SABBATH AND GOD'S AUTHORITY (Exod. 20:11; Deut.
5:12; Rev. 14:12).
Compare the fourth commandment with the others. List some of its
distinguishing characteristics. Exod. 20:1-17.
The Sabbath commandment is unique among the commandments,
for it contains the seal of God's law. It alone "brings to view both the
name and the title of the Lawgiver. It declares Him to be the Creator
of the heavens and the earth, and thus shows His claim to reverence
and worship above all others. Aside from this precept, there is
nothing in the Decalogue to show by whose authority the law is
given."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 452.
The Sabbath is to be kept simply because God has declared it to be
holy. No movements in the solar system establish the Sabbath as a
special day. No biological rhythms set it apart. Nothing in history,
psychology, math, the sciences, or human law argues for the sanctity
of the Sabbath. It is kept on the foundation of faith in God's Word.
Some argue about the why or the why not of Sabbath obser-
vance. What is the fundamental reason for the Sabbath to be
kept? Deut. 5:12.
Sabbath keeping acknowledges the absolute sovereignty of God.
The Sabbath command comes nearer to being a true measure of spiritu-
ality than any other of the commandments, and, as in the days of Israel
of old, it is often more of a test of loyalty to God than is any of the
others. To be willing on the Sabbath day to withdraw from the tyranny
of the world of things in order to meet the Lord of heaven and earth in
the quiet of our soul means to love God with all our heart, soul, mind,
and body. The Sabbath is thus a tree of knowledge of good and evil in
the midst of the garden. It is a test of and a witness to true allegiance to
the God of the universe. It is an indication that God is God and we are
not.
How is the Sabbath a test in the last days, dividing between the
loyal and disloyal to God's Word? Rev. 14:12.
"The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the
point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall
be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be
drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him
not."—The Great Controversy,
p. 605.
35
Friday
April 21
FURTHER STUDY:
Exod. 16:1-30; 35:1-3; Deut. 5:1-22; Ezek.
44:24; John 1:3; Col. 1:15-18.
Read
The Great Controversy,
pp. 613-621.
"The Sabbath is a sign of the relationship existing between God and
His people, a sign that they are His obedient subjects, that they keep
holy His law. The observance of the Sabbath is the means ordained by
God of preserving a knowledge of Himself and of distinguishing be-
tween His loyal subjects and the transgressors of His law.
"This is the faith once delivered to the saints, who stand in moral
power before the world, firmly maintaining this
faith."—Testimonies
for the Church,
vol. 8, p. 198.
The Sabbath is a reminder of God's total plan for us. It is a great
arch, spanning time from a perfect Creation to a perfect re-creation. It
represents Christ's activity in our creation, in our redemption, and in
the re-creation of our original home. When we meaningfully observe
the Sabbath, we are faithfully looking for the true God, who has
revealed Himself to us in His Word and who is coming the second
time to take us home.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Explain the possible implications of the following situations for
our relationship with God:
1.
Someone who understands the God-given significance of
the Sabbath rejects it or fails to observe it.
2.
Someone who says: "God, if I am going to enter a relation-
ship with You, it will be upon my terms. And when it comes
to observing the Sabbath, I will observe it the way I want."
How would such an attitude affect our relationship with
God and thus our preparedness for the second coming of
Christ?
SUMMARY:
The Sabbath is like a hedge protecting our friendship with
God. God has given it to us because He knows that those who worship
Him meaningfully on that day will mature more and more in their love
relationship with Him. The Sabbath becomes a hedge around our rela-
tionship with God by: (1) providing the quality time essential for devel-
opment of that relationship; (2) clarifying the relationship He desires to
have with us. In giving the Sabbath to us, Christ gives Himself. Such a
gift lifts us above the humdrum of mechanical living to the abundant life
we have in Him, and it prepares us for the eternal life awaiting us when
He comes again.
36
The Church on Spirit Hill, Part 2
Khut Chouen
When a new group of believers in Cambodia needed a place to
worship, one of the members offered a prime piece of land. But
first God would need to chase away the spirit that lived there
before they could build. The group prayed, the spirit left, and the
believers built a simple thatch church. They tried to get permis-
sion from the local government to build a permanent church, but
one official steadfastly refused to allow a Christian church in his
area. Without his permission, the believers could not build.
The yearly rains brought severe flooding to the area, and people
were going hungry. When the dictrict official told a Christian that
he had not eaten that day, the Christian gave him 10 pounds of
rice from his own meager store. "If that's the kind of people
Christians are," he said, "you are welcome in my community."
The floodwaters receded, and the villagers could plant their
crops. The rice grew quickly in the fertile soil. But one day cut-
worms invaded the area. They ate the tender roots of the rice
plants, killing them. The villagers tried flooding the fields to
drown the worms, and pesticides to kill them, but nothing worked.
In days the once-green rice fields looked dry and brown. That is,
all except for those belonging to Mr. Eae. His rice stood out like
green jade on a golden bracelet.
People came from throughout the country to see the only green
fields among the devastation. They asked Eae, "How did you
keep the worms out of your rice?"
Eae replied simply, "I sprayed my fields with tithe." Eae told
the people about the living God who had power to keep evil away.
He showed them the rotting spirit house on the hill.
The villagers replanted their fields after the plague of worms
had passed, and a good harvest saved them from starvation. When
Eae harvested his fields, he found that God had given him twice
as much yield as other years. He brought nearly a ton of "tithe
rice" to the church, as well as several more families from his
village who wanted to join God's family. The seeds of truth that
he had scattered sprouted in other villages as well, and two Branch
Sabbath Schools have opened as a result. Today, thanks to help
from others, a beautiful new Adventist church stands on top of
what was once called Spirit Hill.
Khut Chouen works in the Cambodian Mission.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
37
Lesson 5
April 22-28
The First Coming Prepares
for the Second Coming
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Matt. 4:1-11; John 1:1-14; Acts
1:1-11; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 2:10; 4:15; 9:28; Rev. 3:20, 21.
MEMORY TEXT: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing
up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you
into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into
heaven"
(Acts
1:11, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHTS: The incarnation of Jesus fulfilled the promise
inferred in the everlasting gospel, for it restored face-to-face commun-
ion between God and fallen human beings. He came to reveal the
Father, to live His life in harmony with His will, and to die in our place in
order to restore us completely to Himself when He comes back.
THE MYSTERY OF THE BIRTH OF
JESUS. "How wide is the
contrast between the divinity of Christ and the helpless infant in
Bethlehem's manger! How can we span the distance between the
mighty God and a helpless child? . . . Divinity and humanity were
mysteriously combined, and man and God became one. It is in this
union that we find the hope of our fallen race. Looking upon Christ in
humanity, we look upon God, and see in Him the brightness of His
glory, the express image of His person."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
5, p. 1130.
He became the bridge connecting heaven and earth. He became one
with us in His incarnation, and He will be one with us for eternity when
He returns. He will retain humanity forever.
38
Sunday
April 23
JESUS WAS FULLY DIVINE (John 5:21, 26; 8:58; Eph. 1:13, 14).
What does the Bible say about Christ's nature? John 8:58; Col.
2:9. What did He possess within Himself? John 5:21, 26.
"It was Christ who from the bush on Mount Horeb spoke to Moses
saying, 'I AM THAT I AM. . . .' Ex. 3:14. . . . When He came 'in the
likeness of men,' He declared Himself the I AM. The Child of Bethlehem,
the meek and lowly Saviour, is God 'manifest in the flesh.' 1 Tim.
3:1
6."—The Desire of Ages,
p. 24.
Jesus was fully one with God. He was with the Father in the
beginning. Creation took place through Him because He had life within
Himself. He shared glory with the Father before the world began (John
17:5). If we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father (Matt. 11:27; John
14:9). Therefore, Christ came into the world to reveal the Father (John
1:18). The climax of the Gospel of John recognizes Jesus as fully God
when Thomas exclaims, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28, NKJV).
What is the relationship between Jesus and the Holy Spirit and our
glorious inheritance? Eph. 1:13, 14.
Jesus was God's emissary from heaven to earth at His first advent,
making possible for Him to take us from earth to heaven at His second
advent. He sent the Holy Spirit at the first coming as our guarantee for
our total restoration when our glorious inheritance in Christ is acquired.
Christ's incarnation is the down payment that verifies the surety of the
Second Coming. Just as surely as the promises of Christ's first advent
were fulfilled, so will the promises of His second advent also be fulfilled.
Christ's appearance in human form expresses His supreme interest
in our ultimate redemption when He comes again. Our Lord inter-
vened in human affairs when He created us and when He redeemed us,
and He will intervene again when He returns to take us into His glory.
Now He lives to make intercession for us. Our creation and redemp-
tion make it certain that our final restoration will be a reality.
His victory over death, His resurrection, guarantees our victory over
death and our resurrection. Christ's resurrection is the "firstfruits,
afterward those who are Christ's at His coming" (1 Cor. 15:23, NKJV).
"By His life and His death, Christ has achieved even more
than recovery from the ruin wrought through sin. It was Satan's
purpose to bring about an eternal separation between God and
man; but in Christ we become more closely united to God than if
we had never fallen."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 25.
39
Monday
April 24
JESUS WAS FULLY HUMAN (John 1:14; Acts 1:9-11; Gal. 4:4).
What does the Bible say about Jesus' humanity? John 1:14; Gal.
4:4; 1 Tim. 3:16.
Many Bible passages refer to Jesus as a man (Rom. 5:15; 1 Cor.
15:21). Normal human emotions and activities are ascribed to Him.
Jesus grew and became strong. He increased in stature and in favor
with God and man (Luke 2:40, 52). He was tempted (Heb. 2:18), and He
suffered (Heb. 5:8). He showed the full range of human emotion: He
agonized in Gethsemane (Matt. 26:38), was sorrowful and wept at the
death of Lazarus (John 11:34, 35), and showed righteous indignation
(Mark 3:5). "Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up
prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who
was able to save Him from death .....(Heb. 5:7, NKJV).
Jesus also manifested the physical traits of humanity. He was weary
(John 4:6), thirsty (John 4:7), hungry (Matt. 4:2), took bread (Matt.
26:26), slept (Matt. 8:23, 24), his sweat became like great drops of
blood in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44), breathed His last at the crucifix-
ion (Luke 23:43-46), and was buried (John 19:38-40). He took upon
Himself flesh and blood (Heb. 2:14). He was not a spirit; He was flesh
and bones (Luke 24:38-43). Christ did not "make believe" He had
human nature, He really took it.
How do Luke and Paul link Christ's first coming in the flesh to His
second coming in glory? Acts 1:9-11; Titus 2:11-14.
The ascension of Jesus into heaven illustrates the connection be-
tween heaven and earth, divinity and humanity. Beholding His dis-
ciples' faces at His ascension, He was soon to behold His Father's face
in heaven. The angels comforted the disciples in emphasizing that this
same
Jesus will come back from heaven to earth the second time. That
was their firm assurance that one day they would gaze into heaven and
see their precious Redeemer come back in like manner. The grace of
God so abundantly manifested in Jesus at the cross for our salvation
leads us to walk with Him in this world and prepares us to welcome Him
at His glorious appearing.
"In taking our nature, the Saviour has bound Himself to
humanity by a tie that is never to be broken. Through the
eternal ages He is linked with
us."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 25.
What link can you discern between the first and the second
coming of Christ, implied in this statement?
40
Tuesday
April 25
"HE WAS TEMPTED AS WE ARE ..." (Heb. 4:15; 9:28; 2 Cor. 5:21).
What makes Jesus uniquely qualified as our sympathizing High
Priest? Heb. 4:15; 2 Cor. 5:21; Ps. 51:5.
Christ was tempted in all points as we are. His temptation was real. If
He could not have fallen, then His temptation had no power. "Many
claim that it was impossible for Christ to be overcome by temptation.
Then He could not have been placed in Adam's position; He could not
have gained the victory that Adam failed to gain. If we have in any
sense a more trying conflict than had Christ, then He would not be able
to succor us. But our Saviour took humanity, with all its liabilities. He
took the nature of man, with the possibility of yielding to temptation.
We have nothing to bear which He has not endured. . . . In man's
behalf, Christ conquered by enduring the severest test."—The
Desire
of Ages,
p. 117.
Christ was the spotless Son of God. In Him was no sin. He lived the
life that God originally intended for us—a life in harmony with the life of
God. He lived in constant communion with His Father.
Compare Christ bearing the sins of the world at His first coming
and appearing "apart from sin" at His second coming. Heb. 9:28,
NKJV.
The expression "`without sin'" is "in contrast with the phrase `to
bear the sins of many.' At His first advent Christ took upon Himself the
sins of the world. . . . He was made 'sin for us, . . . that we might be made
the righteousness of God in him' (2 Cor. 5:21). But the work he
[sic]
came to do for sin is all completed ere He comes the second time."
—SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
7, p. 457.
Jesus passed through the pangs of temptation not only to sympa-
thize with us but also to be our delivering substitute. His success in
this world opens for us the gates of heaven, for in His merits we are
reconciled to God through His grace. Thus, His first coming is the
basis for His second coming. He, indeed, has every right to save us.
Living in this modern age, we have the tendency to take something,
dissect it, examine, and reconstruct it according to what makes sense to
us. To dissect a rose, however, is to destroy it. Much more so with
Christ's incarnation. We can only marvel at the mystery that the
eternal God of the universe would humble Himself to become one with
us. It is time for us to lay aside the scalpel and stand back in awe and
wonder and worship Him!
41
Wednesday
April 26
CHRIST CONFRONTED CONFLICT AND CONQUERED (Heb.
12:2; 2:10; Matt. 3:16, 17; 4:3, 4).
What relationship is there between the suffering of Christ in this
world and the joy of the world to come? Heb. 12:2; 2:10. How does this
apply to our experience?
Christ confronted and defeated Satan's temptations in perfect obedi-
ence to His Father's will. It is in the light of His coming kingdom of
glory that we find purpose in what He endured in this sinful world. It
was no abstract experience for Him, but the practical requirement neces-
sary to guarantee eternity for all of us who give ourselves wholly to
Him. As we by grace remain in Christ, we learn through the indwell-
ing Spirit to resist temptation and endure suffering so that we may be
found perfect in Him at His second coming.
"To share eternity with the ransomed of all ages and the unfallen
beings of other worlds was a prospect that brought utter joy to our Lord
as He suffered in Gethsemane and on the cross of Calvary."—SDA
Bible Commentary, vol.
7, p. 482.
Compare what Jesus heard His Father tell Him after His baptism
with what He heard Satan tell Him during the first temptation in
the wilderness. Matt. 3:16, 17; 4:3. What significance does Christ's
answer to Satan have? Matt. 4:4.
"Christ, in the wilderness of temptation, stood in Adam's place to
bear the test he failed to endure."—"The Temptation of Christ,"
Ellen
G. White, Present Truth, and Review and Herald Articles
(July 28,
1874), vol. 1, p. 143.
Satan led our first parents to doubt God's Word and trust their own
senses. Also, Christ's temptation was to doubt His Father's Word that
had been spoken at His baptism. Christ could have reasoned: "Is it
logical that God would leave His Son in the wilderness for forty days
and nights without food and companionship? I will prove my divinity
by an undeniable miracle!" Instead, He relied wholly on the Word of
God. "It is written," He replied. The Savior's temptation translates into
the desire to live independently from God. In contrast to our first
parents, Christ gained the victory by depending totally upon the power
of His Father's word.
As Christ's coming draws near, "are the people of God now
so firmly established upon His word that they would not yield to
the evidence of their senses?"—The
Great Controversy,
p. 625.
42
Thursday
April 27
VICTORY IN JESUS (James 4:7; 1 John 4:17; Rev. 3:20, 21).
How are Christ's temptations and victory related to ours? How
does our abiding in Him affect our view of the judgment and the
Second Coming? 1 John 4:17; Rev. 3:20, 21.
We can never honestly say that our temptations are more powerful
than Christ's. He met temptation when He was emaciated from hunger
and when He was abandoned by humans and felt abandoned by God in
Pilate's courtroom, in Gethsemene, and at Calvary. "It was in the time of
greatest weakness that Christ was assailed by the fiercest tempta-
tions."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 120. He sank to the depths of human
temptation to win the battle for the weakest of us, so that in His victory
we may become like Him and enter into His glory. "Notice, however,
that this description of our being like Christ in the world is conditional
upon our dwelling in love and in God (v. 16). It is love that links us to
the Master and makes us like
Him."—SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
7,
p. 670. Those who love Christ overcome in Christ and will share in
His glory when He comes.
"Those who are truly like the Judge need not fear the judgment!
The believer's ground for confidence is not his own imperfect attain-
ments, but the faultless character and propitiatory sacrifice of Christ
his Saviour."—Page 669.
The temptations of Christ actually were greater than those of human-
kind, for none of us have ever been tempted to use our "divinity" to our
advantage. When Christ was before Annas, the High Priest, "He knew
that in a moment, by the flashing forth of His divine power, He could lay
His cruel tormentors in the dust. . . . By a word, by a look, He could
compel His persecutors to confess that He was Lord above kings and
rulers, priests and temple. But it was His difficult task to keep to the
position He had chosen as one with humanity."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 700.
Christ did not overcome through the use of His own divine power.
"Jesus gained the victory through submission and faith in God."
—Page 130. "He exercised in His own behalf no power that is not freely
offered to us."—Page 24. We must first submit ourselves to God,
because we "cannot save ourselves from the tempter's power. . . ."
For "when we try to stand in our own strength, we shall become a prey to
his devices. . . ."—Page 131.
Have you applied these promises for spiritual victory? (Phil.
4:13; James 4:7). Remember that "Satan trembles and flees
before the weakest soul who finds refuge in that mighty name [of
Jesus]."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 131.
43
Friday
April 28
FURTHER STUDY:
John 1:4, 6-8; 11:43; 14:30; Rom. 5:8; 9:5;
1 Cor. 15; Phil. 2:5-8; 1 Pet. 2:22; Jude 23, 25.
Read "The Lord Is Risen," in
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 779-787.
Also read pp. 24-26.
"The voice that cried from the cross, 'It is finished,' was heard
among the dead. It pierced the walls of sepulchers, and summoned the
sleepers to arise. Thus will it be when the voice of Christ shall be heard
from heaven. That voice will penetrate the graves and unbar the tombs,
and the dead in Christ shall arise. At the Saviour's resurrection a few
graves were opened, but at His second coming all the precious dead
shall hear His voice, and shall come forth to glorious, immortal life. The
same power that raised Christ from the dead will raise His church, and
glorify it with Him, above all principalities, above all powers, above
every name that is named, not only in this world but also in the world to
come."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 787.
"God has adopted human nature in the person of His Son, and has
carried the same into the highest heaven.... In Christ the family of earth
and the family of heaven are bound together. Christ glorified is our
brother. Heaven is enshrined in humanity, and humanity is enfolded in
the bosom of Infinite Love."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 25, 26.
"The humanity of the Son of God is everything to us. It is the golden
chain that binds our souls to Christ, and through Christ to God. This is
to be our study. Christ was a real man; He gave proof of His humility in
becoming a man. Yet He was God in the
flesh."—Selected Messages,
book 1, p. 244.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Explain why, when we approach the subject of Christ's human-
ity, "we would do well to heed the words spoken by Christ
to Moses at the burning bush, 'Put off thy shoes from off
thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy
ground."—Selected Messages,
book 1, p. 244.
2.
What risks do you think were involved in the mission Jesus
undertook among us? Explain.
3.
Why is death called "the last enemy"? (1 Cor. 15:26).
SUMMARY:
Jesus was Heaven's emissary to bridge the gulf between God
and fallen humanity. His first coming is the guarantee of ultimate restoration
at His second coming. He accomplished all that was necessary in this world
in order to have us inherit the world to come. Every facet of His earthly
ministry should lead us to dwell on our heavenly inheritance.
44
Eager to Serve
J. H. Zachary
The evangelism training seminar in Germany had just ended.
As Uwe Wiesenberg, one of the participants, drove home, he was
eager to share his faith with someone. But this was Germany,
where people's materialistic focus makes witnessing for Christ
difficult. As he drove, he asked God to help him find someone
who needed to know Him.
He stopped to visit his uncle Paul, a hospital nurse who also had
attended the seminar. As Uwe stood in the hospital foyer, an old
man walked up and began talking to him. He told Uwe that he had
decided to end his life.
Uwe guided the man to a bench and listened as the man unbur-
dened his heart, telling a story of heartache and disappointment.
Uwe could understand why the man was deeply depressed.
When the man stopped talking, Uwe shared his faith in God and
his confidence in the power of prayer. He shared the story of Jesus
and the love of God that led Jesus to die on the cross. "God loves
you very much," Uwe offered. "He will forgive your sins and fill
your heart with joy and peace. He will make you a new man."
Then the two men prayed.
Hope flickered in the man's eyes, and a smile crept across his
face. Then the man asked, "May I go to church with you?"
As Uwe began to explain that he does not live in Neustadt, his
uncle Paul walked up. Uwe introduced him to the old man and
relayed the man's request to go to church. Paul promised to take
him the next Sabbath and then for a walk in the Black Forest
where they could commune with God. Paul arranged with the man
to begin Bible studies.
"I have never met such wonderful people in all my life!" the old
man smiled. Uwe and Paul gave him a copy of
Steps to Christ,
then the three men prayed. The old man said, "I wanted to end my
life today; now I have been born anew!"
Uwe's enthusiasm bubbled over as he shared how, in just one
hour, God had answered his prayer for one soul by bringing this
man to him. "He came in despair, and now he has hope," Uwe
said. "I thank God for the power of the Holy Spirit. Souls can be
won to Jesus even here in Germany."
J. H. Zachary is international coordinator for The Quiet Hour and a
consultant for the General Conference Ministerial Association.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomissionq_,
icornpuserve.com
45
Lesson 6
April 29—May 5
Salvation and the Second
Coming
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Gen. 3:1-7; Ezek. 18:4; Matt.
27:46; John 11:49-52; Rom. 3:21-26; 5:8-11; 1 John 2:2-6.
MEMORY TEXT: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have everlasting life" (John 3:16, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHTS:
God manifested His love to us by sending His
only Son to live and die for us. This is central to the plan of salvation
and is the key to the certainty of the Second Coming. Without the life,
death, and resurrection of Jesus, there would be no hope of His second
coming.
THE DEATH OF CHRIST REVEALS THE HEIGHT OF THE
LOVE OF GOD AND THE DEPTH TO WHICH SIN WILL GO.
In the council of peace, even before our creation, the Godhead made
the decision to send Jesus to this world if humankind should sin. "But
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8).
The Cross also reveals the magnitude of sin. At every turn, Satan
and his agents sought to destroy the Son of God and His mission of
saving fallen humanity. No longer must the universe wonder about
either the love of God or the awfulness of sin. The events of Calvary
stand as an eternal witness to the magnitude of both. Calvary made it
possible for us to be rescued from sin and death and for us to be fully
restored to God at the Second Coming.
46
Sunday
April 30
THE CROSS REVEALS GOD'S JUDGMENT ON SIN (Ezek. 18:4;
Matt. 27:46; Rom. 3:26; 6:23).
The Cross tells us that God takes sin very seriously. Sin is rebellion,
and it goes contrary to the character of God. It is the desire to establish
other gods ahead of the loving, creating, and life-giving God of the
universe. It is rooted in the desire to live our lives independently of
God. God's judgment is that "the soul who sins shall die" (Ezek. 18:4,
NKJV). God does not desire to bring that judgment upon us sinners.
Rather, Jesus chose to take that death sentence upon Himself so that
He may give us life eternal at His return.
What caused Jesus to cry
out in anguish to His Father? Matt.
27:46.
"He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation
was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel
when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense
of sin, bringing the Father's wrath upon Him as man's substitute, that
made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of
God."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 753.
For the first time, the universe fully understood God's judgment on
sin. The Cross tells us how intensely sin matters to God. No wonder
He will not deal lightly with sin. God's judgment on it must be
understood so that it will never arise the second time. The Cross
makes it possible for God to be understood as a God of love when He
destroys evil and evildoers at the end.
Yet, God does all in His power to draw them to Himself before the end
comes, when it is too late. Jesus took the penalty for sin upon Himself.
In place of eternal death, He offers eternal life. Only the Life-Giver
can make such an offer. Only He who has life within Himself can
stand in our place.
God did not lower the standard for eternal life. Perfect harmony
with His character and with the universe as He created it is necessary.
Any other standard would result in anarchy. Yet, Christ took the result
of transgression upon Himself in order "that He might be just and the
justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Rom. 3:26, NKJV). God
revealed His character of love and justice. Of justice, because He did
not lessen the seriousness of sin by removing its results; of love, by
taking the results of sin upon Himself.
Imagine living in a universe without any trace of sin. Do you
look forward to the time when sin will be finally eradicated?
How do you prepare yourself and others to welcome that day?
47
Monday
May 1
CHRIST OUR SUBSTITUTE (John 11:49-52; Rom. 3:21-26;
1 John 2:2; 4:9, 10; 2 Cor. 5:21).
What did the high priest unknowingly prophesy about the role
that Christ would take on our behalf? John 11:49-52.
Jesus took our place in this sinful world in order that we might take
our place next to Him in the world to come. The righteous One died
to save many from sin unto righteousness and from death unto
eternal life. Christ came to reveal who His Father is and what He is
like. That God is love was revealed in the healing of the sick, in the
offer of forgiveness, in the gentle touch, and supremely on the cross.
Christ also revealed the justice of God. On the cross He showed that
God will not tolerate sin in the universe, that one day sin will be
eradicated. At the Cross, God was revealed to be a God both of love
and of justice. Christ took our judgment upon Himself so that He
could make it possible for us to enter His glory.
How did God reveal His love and righteousness to us? 1 John
4:9, 10; Rom. 3:21-26.
God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin for us! This is great
news! The God of the universe condescended to take our sin upon
Himself. To see what love means, we must see ourselves as sinners,
the objects of God's wrath, and yet as people whom Christ loves and
for whom Christ died. "It is one of the NT's resounding paradoxes
that it is God's love that averts God's wrath from us, and that indeed
it is precisely in the averting of this wrath that we see what real love
is."—D. Guthrie and J. A. Motyer, editors,
The New Bible Commen-
tary,
third edition (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans Publishing Com-
pany, 1970), p. 1267.
Explain why God sent His Son into the world. 2 Cor. 5:21;
1 John 2:2.
Echoing through the ages comes Jesus' question: " 'When
the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"
(Luke 18:8, NKJV). The question echoes today, When Jesus
returns, will He find faith in
my
heart? In what ways do I allow
Him today to build up my faith and to prepare me for His
appearing? In what ways do I actively work with Christ to
build up the faith of others?
48
Tuesday
May 2
GOD'S REVELATION AND SALVATION (Gen. 3:1-7; Rom.
5:8-11).
What
was at the heart of Adam's and Eve's rebellion against
God? Gen. 3:1-7.
At the tree in the garden, the serpent asked, "'Has God not said?'"
Adam and Eve believed the tempter's words, which were in direct
contradiction to God's words. Will we, too, develop our own concept
of how God will behave? Such distrust in God's Word led them out of
Eden and plunged the human race into sin and destruction. Nothing
else but trusting God's Word and His plan of salvation will show us the
way to Eden restored.
What can we learn from God's revelation in His Word
about
His
initiative in our salvation?
Rom. 5:8-11
2 Cor. 6:1, 2
How can we know about the plan of salvation? How can we have
knowledge of the role of Christ in our salvation? Can we discern
God's plan of salvation in observing the world around us? Can we
determine how God will save us by our philosophy and research?
It is in our human nature to try to develop our own concept of God
apart from His self-revelation in Jesus Christ and the Bible. It is then
tempting to measure the biblical concept of God by our own human
yardstick. We begin to ask, What kind of god is God? Will He really
execute judgment on sin and sinners when His Son returns? Did He
die on the cross to actually take our place? Is it moral for one person to
die in place of another? Maybe Christ came only to demonstrate the
love of God, not to take our penalty upon Himself.
But according to God's Word, Christ did come to take our place.
He did come to pay with His life for our sins. His great love was
supremely demonstrated on Calvary's cross as He became our recon-
ciliation, substitute, and assurance of salvation. Such concepts of
Christ's life and death come not from humanity but from our un-
changeable God and His trustworthy Word; and they do not have to
harmonize with the moral sensibilities of our age.
What are the implications for the certainty of the Second Com-
ing if we do not trust the biblical truth that Christ died in our
place, becoming our Substitute and Surety? Why not gratefully
accept God's plan of salvation just as it is revealed in His Word?
49
Wednesday
May 3
SALVATION IS THE GIFT OF GOD (John 5:24; 17:3; Rom. 8:4;
Eph. 2:8-10; Titus 2:11-13; 1 John 5:11-13).
What is salvation, and how do we receive it? John 17:3; Eph.
2:8-10.
What role do our righteous deeds and works play in our salva-
tion? Titus 3:4, 5.
It was God's decision to become one of us and to die in our place.
Our great need alone and utter helplessness motivated His decision. No
work we can perform merits His grace. God's grace originates in His
desire to restore us to Himself. In His great love, He longs to restore us to
the Edenic face-to-face communion with Him for eternity.
The tragedy is that Christ, the Creator of the world, came to those
whom He had created, and they did not receive Him. As the Creator,
He was the true light, and His human creation preferred darkness to
light. Yet, those who did receive Him by believing in His name
received the right to be called the children of God (John 1:6-11).
What is our only way to confront and deal with fear of condemnation
and judgment? Rom. 8:1; John 5:24. Explain.
Christ did not come to condemn the world but to save it. He came
to bring us eternal life. He came to restore us to a knowledge of God,
so that we might live with Him throughout eternity in perfect fellow-
ship. Those who believe in Christ are not condemned, but those who
do not are condemned already, because they have not believed in
Christ. They loved darkness rather than light and would not come to
Jesus, the Light of the world. (See John 3:17-19.)
What is the determining factor for us in receiving eternal life
now? 1 John 5:11-13.
Christ wants to have fellowship with us (Rev. 3:20). He has taken
our place on the cross in order to remove every barrier erected by sin.
On the cross, He has taken the separation from God that was ours in
order to give us the eternal relationship with the Father that is His.
How do you react when God confronts you with your sinful
situation? Have you considered Christ's death as your substi-
tute good news? How does this give you hope in the judgment
and certainty in the Second Coming?
50
Thursday
May 4
RESURRECTION TO NEWNESS OF LIFE (1 John
2:3-6; 5:2-5;
Rom. 6:1-5; Eph. 2:1-10).
What is the relationship between Christ's resurrection and our
walk in newness of life? Rom. 6:1-5.
God's purpose in salvation is to restore us to Himself. By faith in
the death of Christ, God removes the sin that has separated us from
Him, so that we might live with Him forever. If we continue in sin, we
will continue to be separated from God. Grace is not given in order
that we might continue to live in sin, but it is given to free us from sin.
"Those who have risen with Christ to walk in newness of life are the
elect of God. They are holy unto the Lord, and are acknowledged by
Him as His beloved. As such, they are under solemn covenant to
distinguish themselves by showing humility of mind. They are to
clothe themselves in garments of righteousness. They are separate
from the world, from its spirit, its practices, and they are to reveal that
they are learning of Him. . .
."—Sons and Daughters of God,
p. 133.
How do we become free from the slavery of sin to live unto
God? Eph. 2:1-10. How do we overcome this world to enter His
world? 1 John 5:4, 5; John
3:3.
Jesus came to this fallen world to "save His people from their sins"
(Matt. 1:21, NKJV). He died for our sins, but He was resurrected that
we might live for Him. He died to remove what was separating us
from Him, but He was resurrected to give us His life. God wants us to
enter into the newness of His life, because He wants us to walk with
Him. This is the preparation we need to walk with Him throughout
eternity.
What does John say about our character if we claim to know Christ
but do not keep His commandments? Explain what loving obedi-
ence is. 1 John 2:3-6; 5:2, 3.
Remember that eternal life is defined as knowing God and Jesus
Christ (John 17:3). Thus, a claim to know God is a claim to eternal life.
What is the relationship between the resurrection of Christ, the
life you live by the power of that resurrection, and the resurrection
of the righteous dead at the Second Coming? Mention specific
ways in which you may live by the power of Christ's resurrection.
51
Friday
May 5
FURTHER STUDY:
Luke 23:39-43; John 14:1-3; Rom. 8:31-39;
1 Cor. 15:20-22; Col. 2:1-12; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Heb. 9:14.
Read chapter 78, "Calvary," in
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 741-757.
"Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us
all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might redeem us from the
condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was
pressing upon His heart. The wrath of God against sin, the terrible
manifestation of His displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of
His Son with consternation. All His life Christ had been publishing to a
fallen world the good news of the Father's mercy and pardoning love.
Salvation for the chief of sinners was His theme. But now with the
terrible weight of guilt He bears, He cannot see the Father's reconciling
face. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this
hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never
be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical
pain was hardly felt."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 753.
Here is one way to illustrate how to walk in the newness of life and
the power of Christ's resurrection: Birth is not the only thing that has to
do with life. It is true that we had nothing to do with our birth; it was
totally a gift upon which we will always be solely dependent. However,
birth does not define all of life. It describes entrance into life. Life is not
very meaningful if we do not move beyond birth into the fullness of life.
So, entrance into salvation is totally the gift of God. We can do
nothing to deserve it. Nonetheless, God invites us to enter into the
fullness of salvation, to flex our spiritual muscles, to breathe the fresh air
of the Spirit, to carry out His earthly work. Christ came that we might
have life and that we might have it more abundantly. As Christ was
resurrected from the dead, so He invites us to be resurrected to newness
of life now and to look forward to its fullness throughout eternity.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
How should my life demonstrate that I am saved from wrath
through the blood of Christ? (Rom. 5:8-10).
2.
How do I accept all that God reveals about Himself in His Word—
that He is a God of love and of justice?
3.
What is our motivation to be part of God's plan for a re-created
heaven and earth?
SUMMARY:
God's plan of salvation is complete. It accounts for our
situation in sin, as well as for God's character of love and justice. It
makes our eternal reconciliation with God possible through the death
of Christ. It gives us the hope and the certainty of the Second Coming.
52
A Mistaken Landing
J. H. Zachary
Pastor Thomas Davai, president of the Western Highlands Mis-
sion in Papua New Guinea, boarded the mission plane to visit a
remote congregation. In a few minutes the plane circled the tiny
jungle landing strip to announce its approach. By the time it landed,
the entire village had gathered to greet the visitors.
But Pastor Davai did not recognize anyone in the crowd. "Can
you tell me if there are Seventh-day Adventists here?" he asked.
"What are Seventh-day Adventists?" one man replied. During
the conversation that followed, Pastor Davai and the pilot learned
that they had landed at the village of Tawa instead of their in-
tended destination. Before they climbed back into the plane, Pastor
Davai asked, "May we return sometime to visit you?"
"Yes, you are welcome to return," the villagers answered.
Several months later a man entered the mission office and asked
if he could speak to "the big fella." He was shown into Pastor
Davai's office. As they talked, Pastor Davai realized that the man
had come from the village of Tawa.
"How did you know where to find us?" Pastor Davai asked. The
man told the pastor that he had remembered the three angels
emblem on the mission plane. He walked through the streets of the
city until he found a sign with the same logo. The sign was on the
mission office.
"When can you come to Tawa village?" the man asked. "We
have been waiting for you." Pastor Davai recognized God's call,
but he explained to his visitor that the village is quite distant from
the mission headquarters and that there is no access by land.
However, he promised to send someone as soon as he could.
Pastor Davai asked Casenov, a lay missionary, to go to Tawa to
survey the people's interests and needs and to help them.
The people of Tawa welcomed the lay missionary. They built a
simple church and house for their pastor. Casenov remained in the
village seeking interests, studying daily with those who wanted to
learn about God, and teaching simple health remedies to these
isolated villagers. Today the little church has 16 baptized members
and 40 more preparing for baptism. Pastor Davai is convinced that
God had a hand in guiding the mission plane to the wrong airstrip
and thus opening the village of Tawa to the gospel.
J. H. Zachary is international evangelism coordinator for The Quiet
Hour. He works in cooperation with the Ministerial Association of the
General Conference.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
1
)
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
53
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Lesson 7
May 6-12
The Sanctuary and the
Second Coming
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Dan. 7:9,10; Ezek. 33:11; Zech.
3:1-7; Rom. 8:1-4; Heb. 4:14-16; James 2:22, 23; Rev. 22:14.
MEMORY TEXT: "For two thousand three hundred days;
then the sanctuary shall be cleansed" (Daniel 8:14, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHT:
The judgment is good news for those who have
accepted the blood and righteousness of Jesus as cleansing for their
sins and as assurance of their salvation.
THE TIME OF HIS JUDGMENT HAS COME.
Daniel 8:14, in
conjunction with Daniel 9:24-27, announces an investigative judg-
ment to begin in the heavenly sanctuary in the year 1844.
Do texts such as these bring fear to your heart? "We must all appear
before the judgment seat of Christ" (2 Cor. 5:10); and "The ungodly
shall not stand in the judgment" (Ps. 1:5). A mortgage company adver-
tises: "Need money for a house? Finding it difficult to get a mortgage?
Come down and visit us, and we'll give you just what you deserve!"
One reason many of us fear judgment is just that: We fear that God
is waiting to give us "just what we deserve." However, the loving and
merciful Jesus took upon Himself what we deserved (death) and gave
us what He deserved (life). Those who cannot see this wonderful
picture of our Lord seek to resolve their fears by denying the concept of
an investigative judgment. Such judgment, however, is good news for
His faithful followers, for it ushers in their face-to-face reunion when He
comes again.
56
Sunday
May 7
THE GOOD NEWS OF THE JUDGMENT (Ezek. 33:11; Ps. 96:10-
13; Dan. 7:21, 22).
How does God view the death of the wicked? Ezek. 33:11. What does
this tell us about the kind of God He is?
Describe David's attitude toward the judgment. Ps. 96:10-13. Why
did he look forward to it? Ps. 7:8; 26:1; 43:1.
David was certainly a sinner, yet he looked to the judgment without
fear. On what basis was he optimistic about the outcome of the judg-
ment? Although he was a sinner, he had asked for forgiveness. "He also
understood the message of righteousness by faith. He recognized that,
sinful though he was, his sins could be covered and cleansed by the
blood of the Substitute. He prayed: 'Purge me with hyssop [the agent
used to apply the blood of the sacrifice, Lev. 14:4-6; Num. 19:18; Ex.
12:22], and I shall be clean' (Ps. 51:7)."—Richard M. Davidson, "The
Good News of Yom Kippur,"
Journal of the Adventist Theological
Society,
Leo R. Van Dolson, ed. (Collegedale, Tenn.: Adventist Theo-
logical Society, Autumn, 1991), vol. 2, no. 2, p. 5.
What is the outcome of the judgment? Dan. 7:21, 22; Zech. 3:2.
The investigative judgment reveals to the universe the saints' standing
before God. It does not put the salvation of God's people in jeopardy.
While it is a fearful thing to those who have rejected salvation, for those
in Christ the investigative judgment is a reason for singing. Since 1844,
God's saints can rejoice that finally the judgment has come. The final
judgment has begun—the process of investigation, followed by the
millennial review and the final execution of the sentence. At last, Satan
is to be silenced. The truth will be seen that vindicates God's people.
Truly the first angel's message—"The hour of His judgment has come"
(Rev. 14:7, NKJV)—is part of the "eternal gospel."
Vindication and assurance in the judgment
are
good news, for the
judgment leads to Christ's soon coming. It is so good that many find it
difficult to believe. In our consumer societies, we expect to pay dearly
for something of such great value. Of course, Someone
has
paid—paid
with His life.
In the judgment, am I concerned about what God thinks of
me or about what God thinks of my Substitute? How does my
life demonstrate the answer?
57
Monday
May 8
CHRIST AND THE JUDGMENT (John 5:22, 27, 30; Heb. 7:25;
4:14-16; 1 John 2:1).
In most courtrooms of today, the judge plays one role, the prosecu-
tor another, the defense attorney still another. However, in the heav-
enly judgment, we find that Christ plays more than one role on our
behalf.
Ascertain the characteristics and roles of Christ in the following
texts, which give us assurance in the judgment:
Heb. 2:17, 18
Heb. 7:25
1 John 2:1
John 5:22, 27, 30
Rom. 8:34
What
great
news! Our Friend, the One who came to save us, who
longs to take us home to live with Him eternally, stands by our side in
court. He is indeed all that we need in the judgment. No wonder we are
urged to come boldly before the throne of grace! (Heb. 4:16).
What do you find in Hebrews 4:14-16 that encourages you to ap-
proach the throne of grace with confidence?
"John in holy vision beholds the faithful souls that come up out of
great tribulation, surrounding the throne of God, clad in white robes,
and crowned with immortal glory. What though they have been counted
the offscouring of the earth? In the investigative judgment their lives
and characters are brought in review before God, and that solemn
tribunal reverses the decision of their enemies. Their faithfulness to
God and to His Word stands revealed, and Heaven's high honors are
awarded them as conquerors in the strife with sin and Satan."—Our
High Calling,
p. 361.
If I know that the Father counted Christ's character as my
character, how would I look at the judgment? What difference
does this make in my life today? Am I willing to ask humbly to
receive the character of Christ?
58
Tuesday
May 9
FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND THE JUDGMENT (Rom. 3:28;
James 2:22, 23; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19; Eph. 4:30; Rom. 8:14-17, 23).
Some find difficulty in harmonizing the promise that our sins are
forgiven when we ask for forgiveness with the equally biblical concept
of a future judgment in which the record of our deeds is examined. They
ask, Is it not true that our sins are
forgotten
at the time they are
forgiven?
Then how can a final judgment make that determination?
The great gospel theme has "already" and "not yet" dimensions to
it in the sense that God already has fulfilled some of His promises to
us, while some of His promises to us are yet to be fulfilled. Discover
these two complimentary concepts in the following pairs of texts:
1.
Rom. 3:28
James 2:22, 23
2.
1 Pet. 1:18,19
Eph. 4:30
3.
Rom. 8:14-17
Rom. 8:23
4.
2 Tim. 1:9
Matt. 24:13
Similarly, in the earthly sanctuary the sins of the penitent were
atoned for through the daily service, yet the final atonement at the
end of the year dealt with all their sins through the cleansing of the
sanctuary (see Lev. 16:16). Likewise, sins are covered by the blood of
Christ when they are confessed and forgiven (as in Ps. 51:1, 9), yet the
final blotting out, or removal of the record of these sins, takes place in
connection with the investigative judgment. (See Rev. 3:5; Exod. 32:33;
Heb. 10:14-18; Dan. 12:1, 2; Matt. 10:32, 33.)
The concept of judgment does not jeopardize assurance of salva-
tion. For even the final blotting out of sin is by virtue of the atoning
sacrifice of Jesus, after which the record of sin is removed from the
sanctuary forever. The defilement is gone and the universe is clean for
eternity. "He who conquers shall be clad thus in white garments, and I
will not blot his name out of the book of life; I will confess his name
before my Father and before his angels" (Rev. 3:5, RSV). What great
news!
The good news is that the judgment is an integral part of the
everlasting gospel, ushering in the Second Coming. How should
we live our lives today in view of the end time? In what ways can
we share this good news with others so that they, too, may look
forward to Jesus' appearing?
59
Wednesday
May 10
ASSURANCE OF SALVATION AND THE JUDGMENT (1 John
3:1; 5:10-13; Ps. 103:12; Isa. 38:17; 43:25).
What is our status in God's family? 1 John 3:1. What is the status
of our salvation in Jesus? 1 John 5:10-13; John 6:47. How does this
affect our lives and witness?
Have you ever had a friend who left you dangling? You never knew
where you stood. You felt as if the slightest mistake could sever your
relationship. Then you would have to crawl back on your knees, so to
speak, in order to restore the friendship. It is clear that healthy relation-
ships cannot exist in such an environment.
Have you ever been tempted to view God in the same way? Has the
concept of the investigative judgment left you dangling in your rela-
tionship with God? Satan rejoices over such misconceptions of God.
God's desire is to enjoy a loving relationship with each of us. That is
why He created us, redeemed us, and plans to take us home with Him
when He returns. A healthy relationship with God can no more dangle
from a thread than can a human relationship. God wants us to be secure
in our relationship with Him.
What does God promise to do with sins that have separated us
from Him? Ps. 103:12; Isa. 38:17; 43:25.
These texts are full of assurance. God wants to put us at ease, like the
children in a family who know that they belong and are accepted. Only
then can we come boldly before the throne of grace. Only then can we
enjoy the companionship of God. Only then can we, as did the prodigal
son, run into His outstretched arms.
"If you give yourself to Him, and accept Him as your Saviour, then,
sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted
righteous. Christ's character stands in place of your character, and you
are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned."—Steps
to
Christ,
p. 62. He abides in your heart by faith.
"More than this, Christ changes the heart. . . . You are to maintain
this connection with Christ by faith and the continual surrender of your
will to Him; and so long as you do this, He will work in you to will and to
do according to His good pleasure."—p. 63. (Read Gal. 2:20; Matt.
10:20).
How does the above statement help you to await Christ's
coming joyously? Why would you desire to proclaim the ever-
lasting gospel that the hour of His judgment has come?
60
Thursday
May 11
SALVATION AND JUDGMENT (Rom. 8:1-4; Eph. 2:8; Eccles.
12:14; James 2:14-18).
How are we saved, and how are we judged? Eph. 2:8; Rom. 1:16, 17;
6:13-18; Eccles. 12:14.
The tension between salvation by grace on the one hand, and judg-
ment by works on the other, causes concern among many Christians.
How can works be the basis of judgment if we are saved by faith?
What is the relationship between faith and works? James 2:14-18.
What is the relationship between salvation in Christ and walking
according to the Spirit? Rom. 8:1-4.
If faith without works is dead, does that mean that we are saved by
works? Paul exclaims, No! By the deeds of the law no flesh will be
justified! (Rom. 3:20). Does grace then abolish the law? No! It estab-
lishes it! "Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On
the contrary, we uphold the law" (Rom. 3:31, RSV).
How then, can we embrace the biblical teaching that we are saved by
grace but judged by the law?
The book of Leviticus helps us to understand the relationship be-
tween salvation and holiness. Chapter 16 deals with the Day of Atone-
ment, when the earthly sanctuary was cleansed. This cleansing pointed
to the final day of judgment. The chapters leading up to chapter 16 refer
to cleansing sins by blood. The following chapters refer to holiness.
Richard M. Davidson explains the connection this way: "I am con-
vinced that we can fully appreciate the
significance
of the Day of
Atonement only when we see it in its setting in Leviticus. Building up to
the Day of Atonement, we see blood, substitutionary sacrifice—in New
Testament terms, justification. Assurance on the Day of Atonement is
based solely upon the blood of the substitute."—See Davidson, "The
Good News of Yom Kippur,"
Journal of the Adventist Theological
Society.
Yet from Leviticus 16 onward, the rest of the book presents a
call to holiness, to sanctification. The Day of Atonement thus links
blood and holiness, justification and sanctification.
The structural setting of Leviticus underscores the balanced gospel
message. While good works are never the foundation of our salvation,
they follow salvation.
Do I perform good deeds in order to be saved or because I am
saved? What difference does this make in my life?
61
Friday
May 12
FURTHER STUDY:
Ezek. 36:25-27; Luke 12:8; Rom. 3:20-28; Gal.
3:13; Heb. 10:1-39; James 2:8-12;
1
John 1:8-10; 4:15-21.
Read
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 63-70;
The Desire of Ages,
pp.
758-764.
"The law requires righteousness,—a righteous life, a perfect charac-
ter; and this man has not to give. He cannot meet the claims of God's
holy law. But Christ, coming to the earth as man, lived a holy life, and
developed a perfect character. These he offers as a free gift to all who
will receive them. His life stands for the life of men. .. . He [Christ] builds
up the human character after the similitude of the divine character. . . .
Thus the very righteousness of the law is fulfilled in the believer in
Christ."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 762.
It is exciting to live in the time of the pre-advent judgment, for it takes
place just before the return of Jesus. The judgment reveals God's
righteousness in saving those who have accepted His atonement. Thus
it refutes Satan's arguments in the great controversy between him and
Christ.
Our standing before God depends not upon our works but upon our
acceptance of what Christ has done for us. Satan comes before God's
heavenly court to accuse Joshua. Joshua indeed seems worthy of
accusation, but God commands that the filthy garments be replaced
with rich, clean robes. The accusations of Satan are silenced. (See Zech.
3:1-5.)
Some may raise the concern that the judgment detracts from what
Christ did for us on the cross. But salvation is always based on the
merits of His sacrifice. The verdict in favor of the saints is based totally
upon the blood of Jesus Christ.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Living in the time of the judgment, why is it important that
I examine myself and my works? Can my good works tip
the scales of judgment in my favor? Explain.
2.
Do I rejoice to live in this crucial time of the judgment?
How does this help me to proclaim "The hour of His judg-
ment is come"?
SUMMARY:
The saints rejoice in the time of judgment, for they are
vindicated! They have received the robe of Christ's righteousness and
have lived by His power! Let us join in proclaiming the everlasting
gospel—"the hour of His judgment has come" (Rev. 14:7, NKJV)—a
final phase in the plan of salvation that ushers in the Second Coming,
the reign of the righteous in heaven for a thousand years, and the new
earth.
62
God Knew the One
Eric Monnier
As a church leader, I often hold week-long lay training schools.
I teach lay men and women how to give Bible studies, how to
preach, how to bring people to a decision for Christ, and prepare
them for baptism.
At one session with 120 lay workers, I was demonstrating how
to make a call for a decision for baptism. I explained that some-
times we need to get personal, even go into the audience to encour-
age one with whom we have been working to make that decision
for baptism.
As I spoke I walked into the group of lay workers and ap-
proached one young woman. I looked into her eyes and said, "You
know, this may be the time that God has chosen for you to decide
for Christ. Don't take a chance on waiting. Come, God loves you;
all of us love you. We want you in God's kingdom. Come."
With those words, I took her arm and invited her to walk to the
front of the room with me. She walked with me to the front. After I
closed my demonstration call with prayer, I thanked her, and she
returned to her seat. Throughout the demonstration the young
woman had said nothing.
I continued with class. During our noon break several people
came to talk to me. This girl stood a few feet away but left before I
could speak with her. Later one of the other students came to me
and told me that the girl with whom I had made the appeal had
confided in him that she wanted to be baptized on Sabbath.
I learned that this young girl had grown up in an Adventist
home but had never made her decision to be baptized. But during
my call, the call that I thought was only a demonstration, she felt
God speaking directly to her.
Later that day I spoke with her. She confirmed her desire to be
baptized, then she said to me, "No one here knew that I was not
baptized. No one except God. God directed you to approach me
rather than someone else."
We made arrangements to close the training class with a bap-
tism on Sabbath afternoon. As the members of the lay training
class formed a circle around us, nearly every one of them had tears
in his or her eyes. We all realized that only God knew her need.
And He directed me to her.
Eric Monnier is president of the Bolivian Union Mission.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomissiongcompuserve.com
63
Lesson 8
May 13-19
Such a Cloud of Witnesses
and the Second Coming
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Gen. 6:8-13; Num. 13:27-33;
Luke 1:17, 67-79; Acts 1:8-11; 2 Pet. 3:10-13; 1 John 3:1-11.
MEMORY TEXT: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached
in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will
come" (Matthew 24:14, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHTS:
God has always had messengers to proclaim His
message of reconciliation to lost humanity. At key junctures just prior
to major events, these messengers proclaimed a special message. In
these last days, God's people are to carry the special message of His
second coming to all the world.
GOD'S SPECIAL MESSENGERS.
"Surely the Lord God does nothing,
unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7).
God has raised up key people at major turning points in history. Noah
was commissioned to warn of the coming doom through a worldwide
Flood. Abraham was called out to be the founder of a nation. Jeremiah
called for repentance in view of the impending doom from Babylon.
John the Baptist proclaimed the coming of the Messiah. In the last
days, God is calling a people to proclaim the full gospel to lost
humanity. God wants people to accept the sacrifice of His Son on
Calvary. He desires them to accept His offer of reconciliation. There-
fore, God is looking for a people in these last days who will carry this
gospel of the kingdom—the everlasting gospel—to the whole world
before Jesus returns.
64
Sunday
May 14
NOAH AND THE IMPENDING FLOOD (Gen. 6:8-13; Heb. 11:7).
What was society like in Noah's day? How do these conditions
compare to those that will exist just before the second coming of
Christ? Gen. 6:11-13; Matt. 24:37-39; Luke 17:26, 27; 21:34-36.
At the time of the Flood, even those who claimed to worship the true
God rejected the message of Noah. They reasoned that a God of love
would not destroy the creatures whom He had created. Further, their
study of science convinced them that it could not rain. After all, it had
not rained since the creation of the earth. Who better than they would
know that talk about impending judgment was just a scare tactic? There
was no danger. (See
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 90-104.)
What prepared Noah (and what will prepare us) to deliver God's
message and to remain faithful during the approaching judgment hour
of earth? Gen. 6:8, 9; Heb. 11:7.
Noah "gave the world an example of believing just what God says."
—Patriarchs and Prophets
p. 95. By contrast, "The wise men of this
world talked of science and the fixed laws of nature, and declared that
there could be no variation in these laws, and that this message of Noah
could not possibly be true. The talented men of Noah's time set them-
selves in league against God's will and purpose, and scorned the
message and the messenger that he had sent. When they could not move
Noah from his firm and implicit trust in the word of God, they pointed to
him as a fanatic, as a ranting old man, full of superstition and madness. .
. . It was true that Noah could not controvert their philosophies, or refute
the claims of science so called; but he could proclaim the word of God;
for he knew it contained the infinite wisdom of the Creator, and, as he
sounded it everywhere, it lost none of its force and reality because men
of the world treated him with ridicule and contempt."—"An Example of
Saving Faith,"
Ellen G. White Articles, Signs of the Times
(April 18,
1895), vol. 3, pp. 200, 201.
How did Jesus' victory in the wilderness compare with Noah's stand
for God's Word? Matt. 4:1-11.
What kind of faith would it take to wait for rain for seven
days in the ark with crowds scoffing outside? "But Noah stood
like a rock amid the
tempest."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 96.
How can you be a faithful witness in these tempestuous times
before Christ returns?
65
Monday
May 15
ABRAHAM, THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL (Gen. 12:1-3;
22:1-14; Heb. 11:8-10, 17, 18).
What did God ask Abraham to do, and what did He promise him?
Gen. 12:1-3. How did Abraham respond? Gen. 12:4, 5; Heb. 11:8-10.
Abraham's unquestioning obedience is one of the most striking
evidences of faith to be found in all the Bible. To him, faith was "the
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb.
11:1, NKJV). This is the kind of faith that will lead us into our Promised
Land when Christ returns.
"Relying upon the divine promise, without the least outward assur-
ance of its fulfillment, he abandoned home and kindred and native land,
and went forth, he knew not whither, to follow where God should lead."
"He could not even explain his course of action so as to be understood
by his friends. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. . .
."—Patri-
archs and Prophets,
p. 126.
What unusual test did God bring to Abraham, and how did he
respond? Gen. 22:1-14; Heb. 11:17, 18. Contrast following human
wisdom to living by faith in God's Word.
As the father of the faithful, Abraham was tested to the utmost. He
was ordered to sacrifice Isaac, the son of promise, through whom God
had promised to bless all nations. How easy it would have been to
reason that God's command to kill his son was totally out of harmony
with God's promise concerning his son's future! The command was
inconsistent with God's character. With our imagination stretched to
its limits, can we even begin to comprehend the agony involved in the
patriarch's resolution? By faith, Abraham obeyed, believing that God
would fulfill His promise. What an example for us as our faith is tested in
preparation for Christ's coming!
As for God's command to move to Canaan, Abraham could muster
more logical reasons for staying in Ur. Certainly the city, with its
cultural and economic advantages, was a better center for evangelism
than was Canaan. Abraham, however, accepted a "Thus saith the Lord"
as the basis for obedience.
Abraham's focus was on his heavenly home as he "waited for
the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is
God" (Heb. 11:10, NKJV). What earthly things am I willing to
abandon in order to possess my heavenly home? What is my
focus in my daily life as I await Christ's second coming?
66
Tuesday
May 16
CALEB, JOSHUA, AND THE PROMISED LAND (Num. 13:27-
33; Deut. 1:22-40).
In preparation for entry into the Promised Land, Israel encamped at
Kadesh-barnea. From there, twelve spies were sent to determine the
nature of the fortifications they must confront, as well as the morale and
fitness of the enemy soldiers. Their mission was successful; they
traversed the land from one end to the other.
What impression did the spies have of the land, and how did they
view the possibility of taking it? Num. 13:27-29, 31-33; Deut. 1:25.
Taking the land was humanly impossible. It didn't take a military
genius to draw that conclusion. The passes were strongly fortified.
Missiles of stone were strategically positioned to wreak havoc on an
approaching army. The cities were walled, the armies were well trained,
and there were giants in the land. By contrast, Israel's civilian force had
no military experience and was not equipped to do battle. Military
science will tell you not to expect victory under such circumstances.
From a human point of view, the situation seemed hopeless. That's
what most of the spies and the Israelites as a whole concluded too.
They "left God out of the question, and acted as though they must
depend solely on the power of
arms."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p.
388.
God had not only promised, He had commanded. Israel was to take
the land. God would win the battle for them. Caleb and Joshua believed
His word. They were ready to go forward, to defeat the enemy under
God's leadership, and to possess the Promised Land.
Israel, as a whole, yielded to doubt. Doubt has amazing power to
build upon human wisdom. By following their own judgment rather than
accepting God's word by faith, Israel failed to reach the Promised
Land. Neither will we enter the Promised Land by our own efforts, nor
by our own reasoning. Those who gain citizenship there will be a
people of faith who accept the Word of God at face value despite all
kinds of opposition. What seems totally unreasonable from a human
point of view is easily possible from God's perspective. Those who take
a stand by faith, as did Caleb and Joshua, will enter the Promised Land
when Jesus returns.
What vote would you have cast had you been at Kadesh-
barnea? "Camping" around the heavenly Canaan, what vote are
you casting today? Is it a vote of doubt and insubordination, or
is it a vote of faith and obedience? Is anything holding you back
from entering the Promised Land?
67
Wednesday
May 17
JOHN THE BAPTIST AND THE MESSIAH (Luke 1:17, 67-79;
3:3-6; Acts 1:8-11).
What was to be the mission of John the Baptist as prophesied by his
father, Zacharias? Luke 1:67-79. How did the apostle John describe
this mission? John 1:6-8.
John was sent from God to witness that grace and truth came through
Jesus Christ. It was the mission of Christ to reveal the Father to us (John
1:15-18). Filled with the Holy Spirit, John turned "many of the children
of Israel to the Lord their God." In so doing, he prepared a people to
greet the coming Messiah (Luke 1:16, 17, NKJV). "John was `to turn the
hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom
of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. In preparing
the way for Christ's first advent, he was representative of those who are
to prepare a people for our Lord's second coming."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 101.
John clearly and forcefully preached God's message of repentance
and righteous living in preparation to receive the Messiah. "'He must
increase,
he said,
but I must decrease'" (John 3:30). People from
all walks of life responded to his preaching by repenting, and many
were baptized.
Compare John the Baptist's mission with our mission of preparing
the way for Christ's second coming. Luke 1:17; 3:3-6; Acts 1:8-11.
John the Baptist was a great man of faith. Had the book of Hebrews
included New Testament heroes of faith, surely John's name would
have been there. Yet, at the end of his mission of preparing the way for
Christ's first coming, he languished in prison and was tempted with
doubt. We, too, may face imprisonment and be tempted with doubt in
preparing others to meet Christ when He comes, but we must gain
courage from the experience of the Baptist who "did not surrender his
faith in Christ. The memory of the voice from heaven and the descend-
ing dove, the spotless purity of Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit that
had rested upon John as he came into the Saviour's presence, and the
testimony of the prophetic scriptures,—all witnessed that Jesus of
Nazareth was the Promised One."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 216.
Just as John the Baptist proclaimed Christ's first coming, so
are we to proclaim His second coming. In what effective ways
can we bear witness of the Light, point others to the Lamb of
God, and help them be ready for His second coming?
68
Thursday
May 18
FAITH IN THE PROMISES OF GOD (Heb. 11:4-39; 12:1-3, 22-29;
2 Pet. 3:10-13; 1 John 3:1-11).
Toward the fulfillment of what promise did each person in the Hall
of Faith look forward? Heb. 11:10, 13-16.
What common trait links Noah, Abraham, Caleb, Joshua, John the
Baptist, and the many others like them?
1.
They all lived by faith. Each had material and intellectual resources
upon which to rely. They could have managed their lives based upon
principles of greed, materialism, power, and the many other resources
available. They lived instead by faith in the word of God. Their faith
was not based upon human ability, but upon God's word. Their faith
was the "substance," the foundation of things hoped for (Heb. 11:1).
2.
By faith they viewed a city whose builder and maker is God (see
Hebrews 11:10, 16). That is the blessed hope we have in awaiting the
coming of our Lord, who will usher us into His kingdom of glory.
3.
Each had a message to go forward by faith in the word of the
Lord: Noah, to go into the ark for safety; Caleb and Joshua, to move
forward into the Promised Land; John the Baptist, to prepare for the
first coming of the Messiah. In these last days, God is calling for a
people to proclaim the second coming of Christ. Let us be as faithful
in fulfilling this special mission as they were in fulfilling theirs.
4.
Though human and fallible, by the grace of God they lived upright
lives. "Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked
with God" (Gen. 6:9, NKJV). God knew Abraham, that he would "com-
mand his children and his household after him, that they keep the way
of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice"(Gen. 18:19).
Compare what John and Peter said concerning the manner of per-
sons we ought to be in view of the certainty of the Second Coming.
2 Pet. 3:10-13; 1 John 3:1-11. Why does John say that all who have the
hope of the Second Coming purify themselves, just as Christ is pure?
In these last days God is looking for a people who are willing
to live by faith in His Word; a people who are willing to step out
and follow wherever He leads; a people who are willing to accept
His Word as the foundation of their lives. God's people proclaim
and live by love and allegiance to God in view of the judgment
and of the near return of their Savior and Lord. What are you
willing to do to be one of God's people?
69
Friday
May 19
FURTHER STUDY: Job 28:12-18; Luke 7:22, 24-35; John 1:15-
18, 29-36; 2 Cor. 5:20, 21; 6:1-10; Rev. 20:6; 22:11.
Read
Education,
pp. 13-19;
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 125-131.
"Higher than the highest human thought can reach is God's ideal
for His children. Godliness—godlikeness—is the goal to be reached."
—Education,
p. 18. What a striking thought! When Christ comes
the second time, the children of God will be like Him, for we shall
see Him as He is!
"Men put God out of their knowledge and worshiped the crea-
tures of their own imagination; and as the result, they became more
and more debased. . .. If the mind is never exalted above the level of
humanity, if it is not uplifted by faith to contemplate infinite wisdom
and love, the man will be constantly sinking lower and lower. The
worshipers of false gods clothed their deities with human attributes
and passions, and thus their standard of character was degraded to
the likeness of sinful
humanity."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 91.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Describe the characteristics of those who are proclaiming
the second coming of Christ. In what ways do they reveal
that they are decreasing and Christ is increasing in their
lives and witness?
2.
What roles do faith, devotion, and loyalty play in the procla-
mation of the gospel prior to Christ's coming? Why is godli-
ness so important in the Christian life? Why does God want
us to be like Him when Jesus returns?
3.
How do we, who are living at the end of time, proclaim the last
warning message without compromise, yet with compassion
and conviction?
SUMMARY:
Just as God has had messengers for every major event
in human history, so He also is preparing a people who are willing to
proclaim the certainty of the second coming of Christ. By faith, this
people will lay hold of the Word of God as their guide. They will
accept Christ as the One manifest to take away their sins (see
1
John
3:3). By the grace of God, they will be holy, for He is holy (see
1
Pet. 1:15, 16).
70
The Mechanic Turned Preacher
J. H. Zachary
Beven Stephen lives on Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands. He
grew up in an Adventist home, but during his teens he drifted away
from the church. He dropped out of school and took a job as an auto
mechanic. He was a good one and quickly became the supervisor of
the repair shop. He thought he had everything he wanted from life.
But a sudden and serious illness shattered his dreams. His doctor
gave him little hope for recovery and suggested that Beven should
prepare to die.
Beven's family and friends began praying for him, and God
healed him. Beven returned to God and the church he had left as a
youth. He began telling others what God had done for him. Soon he
decided to quit his job as a mechanic and become a lay preacher,
even though he had no training in preaching or evangelism.
He wanted to share his faith with people who knew nothing about
Adventists. He chose Nagusa, a village in the remote mountains of
Guadalcanal. He arrived in Nagusa and began sharing his faith. One
local man told Beven to leave the village. When Beven did not leave,
the man beat him. Beven still refused to leave.
The village chief, a convert from heathenism named Billy Gra-
ham, invited Beven to visit him. "I want to know two things," he told
Beven. "What is the Bible basis for not eating pork and for worship-
ing on Saturday instead of Sunday?"
Beven smiled and replied, "If you attend my meetings I will
explain these Bible teachings."
Chief Billy Graham agreed to attend the meetings and ordered the
villagers to stop persecuting Beven. With this encouragement, Beven
prepared for the public meetings. As a result of Beven's fervent
prayers and faithful work, Chief Billy Graham and nine others took
their stand for Christ and were baptized.
Beven is working to raise up a church in
another village. But he has not forgotten the
believers in Nagusa. He rejoices every time
he learns of a baptism there. Today 50 mem-
bers worship together in Nagusa. The believ-
ers have begun construction on a church.
J. H. Zachary is international evangelism
coordinator for The Quiet Hour in cooperation
with the General Conference Ministerial
Association.
Produced by
the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
71
Lesson 9
May 20-26
The Witness of the
Remnant and the Second
Coming
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Exod. 20:11; 31:17; Dan. 7:9, 10;
Isa. 13:19-22; 2 Thess. 2:1-17; Rev. 12:17; 14:6-14.
MEMORY TEXT: "Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of
heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell
on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—saying
with a loud voice, 'Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of
His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and
earth, the sea and springs of water" (Revelation 14:6, 7, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHT: God has
promised that just before the Second
Coming a remnant people will proclaim the everlasting gospel in
order to prepare humankind for His Son's soon return.
THE PROCLAMATION OF GOD'S WORD BRINGS REVIVAL
AND RECONCILIATION TO GOD.
As we noted last week, throughout
history, God has sent messengers to prepare His people for major events.
At the end of the age, He speaks through His remnant. His message
emphasizes the "everlasting gospel." The context, however, is unpre-
cedented: the imminent return of Jesus for His persecuted people.
Long has God waited for restoration of the fellowship ruptured in
Eden. Now, with the Second Coming, comes face-to-face communion
with Him. His faithful remnant people have not only preached His
Word, they have lived it, and by so doing have shown the world what
God is really like. In harmony with the last warning message, they have
given Him glory in proclaiming His gospel to the people of the world.
72
Sunday
May 21
THE HOUR OF GOD'S JUDGMENT AND THE SECOND
COMING (Dan. 7:9, 10; Rev. 14:6, 7).
What do we understand by "the hour of His judgment has come"?
Rev. 14:7, NKJV. Why is this urgent message to be preached so
intently just prior to the Second Coming?
"Seventh-day Adventist expositors understand the judgment here
mentioned as that which began in 1844, represented in type by the
cleansing of the earthly sanctuary. . . . That the reference here is not to
the executive judgment at the coming of Christ when all receive their
rewards, is seen by the fact that the messages of the three angels (Rev.
14:6-12) precede the second coming of Christ (v. 14). Furthermore, the
message concerning the judgment is accompanied by an appeal and a
warning that reveal that the day of salvation has not passed. Men may
still turn to God and escape the wrath to come."—SDA
Bible Commen-
tary, vol.
7, p. 828.
A neighbor has told me of attending his first worship service in an
Adventist college. Just out of high school and not a professing Chris-
tian, he knew little about the Bible. To this day, decades later, he
remembers the minister opening his Bible and, in a quiet voice, reading
the words of Daniel 7:9, 10: "I watched till thrones were put in place, and
the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and
the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its
wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before
Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were
opened" (NKJV).
My neighbor said: "I, who knew nothing of judgment, sat among
the Adventist saints, petrified. So intense was the conviction that I
would stand in judgment, so powerful the ministry of the Holy Spirit,
that whenever I recall that evening, the same emotion seizes me."
Perhaps many Adventists have shared my neighbor's fear of judg-
ment. Just as he does now, however, many look to the judgment as a
time of vindication and rejoicing. Among the graphic words of Revela-
tion 14:5 is the wondrous assurance that God's remnant people will be
found "without fault before the throne," not because they had lived
sinless lives, but because they have confessed and repented of their
sins, and through faith in Jesus they were found hid in Him and thus
covered with His perfect robe of righteousness.
What relevance does the coming of His judgment have to the
nearness of the Second Coming and to my daily life and witness?
Do I think of judgment with fear or rejoicing? Why?
73
Monday
May 22
WORSHIP HIM WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH (Exod.
20:11; 31:17; Rev. 14:7).
Why is the call to worship Him who made heaven and earth so
important in the last days? Rev. 14:7.
Our modern age, to a great extent, does not accept what God's Word
has to say about Creation. Many think human wisdom has "taught"
them better where faith is squeezed out. They think that they must base
belief on "independent" evidence, such as the "evidence" of evolution,
a concept that almost totally dominates the thinking of our age.
What evidence can the Christian produce for Creation? The book of
Hebrews provides the answer: "Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Furthermore, "by faith we
understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the
things which are seen were not made of things which are visible" (Heb.
11:1, 3, NICIV).
If we are to accept the biblical concept of a literal, visible second
coming of Christ, we must also accept the biblical concept of Creation.
For in the Second Coming, Christ will recreate "in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye," just as He did in the beginning (1 Cor. 15:52). The
dead in Christ will be resurrected (1 Cor. 15:20-22), and those who are
alive will be re-created (1 Cor. 15:51, 52). If God does not create, as it is
reported in the Bible, there would be no Second Coming as such, or one
is led to devise an alternate, unbiblical explanation.
Why does it matter what we believe about Creation and the Second
Coming? It is because God wants us to know the truth about Himself
and His relation to humanity. We must be careful not to exchange the
truth about God for a lie, for then we would worship the creature instead
of the Creator (Rom. 1:24, 25).
What is an important biblical manner of worshiping the Creator?
Exod. 20:11; 31:17. What is its significance?
The Sabbath of Creation is an integral part of the everlasting gospel
and plays a vital role in the last days in its final proclamation. It
uniquely demonstrates our love and allegiance to God and our willing-
ness to live by faith alone in His Word. This is the kind of faith we need
to prepare ourselves and others to meet Jesus when He returns.
Why is the admonition to worship Him who made heaven and
earth especially relevant to those who are living just prior to the
Second Coming?
74
Tuesday
May 23
THE PATIENCE OF THE SAINTS (Rev. 12:17; 14:12; 19:10).
Revelation 14 is packed with critical information about the final
conflict. Verse 8 introduces the wrath of God against false religious
systems. The armies of heaven "harvest" the earth, dealing once and
for all with those who choose the wrong side in the conflict. For the
saints, however, the chapter is good news. They are rescued and saved
(see verses 12, 13).
When we come to the calm waters again, what description do we find
of the people of God? Rev. 14:12; 12:17.
By contrast with those who think to change times and laws in Daniel
7:25, the people of God keep His commandments, including the fourth
(Rev. 14:7). The people of God are ready for the Second Coming. "For he
hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made
the righteousness of God in him" (2 Cor. 5:21). Through Christ's
righteousness and the power of His indwelling Spirit, His people have
come to reflect His character.
How does the book of Revelation define "the testimony of Jesus"?
Rev. 12:17; 19:10.
God's end-time remnant also have the gift of prophecy given, in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church, through His messenger Ellen G. White.
Her ministry has been a tremendous blessing to the church. Only today
are world scientists catching up with her nineteenth-century counsels
on diet and health. Adventist health institutions, established in re-
sponse to prophetic counsel, bring healing to many around the world.
Her interest in the development of Christian education and institutions
has also brought dignity and understanding to millions of students.
Her guidance in the formation of church government has given the
church strength.
But even more important than her contribution to the functioning of
the church has been her emphasis upon the Bible. She always saw
herself as a lesser light to lead to the greater light (see
Colporteur
Ministry,
p. 125).
The "patience" of the saints (Rev. 14:12) refers to their stead-
fast endurance in the face of opposition and persecution. How is
this characteristic revealed in my daily life and witness as I
await Christ's second coming?
75
Wednesday
May 24
COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE (Rev. 14:8-11; 18:1-5; Isa.
13:19-22).
Compare and contrast the message carried by the second angel
with the third. Rev. 14:8-11. What is God's main concern in each?
Second angel
Third angel
Sin breaks the law of God and separates us from Him. Idolatry
separates us from Him, because it tempts us to worship other gods
(Exod. 20:2-6). This includes creating a concept of God that comes from
human reasoning and observation rather than from the Word of God.
This attachment to other gods or idols separates us from Him. God
wants us to be detached from such idolatrous practices in this sinful
world and to be intimately attached to Him, so that we may be
prepared to be with Him in the world to come.
What does it mean for God's people to come out of Babylon? Rev.
18:1-5. How do they do that, and how do they help others do the same?
The Lord warns us in the book of Revelation to come out of those
systems that point us to the worship of anyone or anything other than
Him, the only true God. He wants us to exhibit the patience of the saints,
which characterizes those who worship the true God: those who accept
Him as their Creator; those who acknowledge Him as sovereign by
worshiping on His holy Sabbath; those who love Him and live faithfully
for Him in the day of His judgment.
God's people will not value their own ideas more than God's, as
Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. They will not philosophize
about how a God of love must act, as did those who lived just prior to
the Flood. They will not use human logic as their basis for judging the
promises of God, as did Israel at Kadesh-barnea. Rather, they will
stand—as did Noah, Caleb and Joshua, and Christ Himself, and so
many others throughout history—on the firm "Thus saith the Lord."
They will accept God's self-revelation in the Bible, and in Christ the
center of the Bible, as the basis for their understanding and acceptance
of Him, the only true God. They will stand with the great Reformers, who
urged their contemporaries to return to the undiluted Word of God.
As you prepare yourself to meet the Lord when He comes again,
what idols or gods hinder your progress toward your heavenly
home? How can God help you get rid of them so that you may be
fully committed to Him in these last days?
76
Thursday
May 25
THE DEVIL'S DELUSIONS (2 Thess. 2:1-17; Rev. 13:13, 14;
Matt. 24:4-6, 11, 23, 24).
What power will Satan exercise to deceive those who live on the
earth? Rev. 13:13, 14; 2 Thess. 2:9, 10.
Satan will come with great miracle-working power. He will even bring
"fire" down from heaven. The revelator here alludes to the experience
at Mount Cannel, when Elijah's sacrifice was consumed by fire, reveal-
ing his God, rather than Baal, to be the true God. Now Satan will bring
his "fire" from heaven. This time, however, it will fall on the wrong altar,
and the world will accept him as the Messiah!
What concern did Christ have about deception just before His
second coming? Matt: 24:4, 5. What would be the nature of Satan's
deceptions? Matt. 24:6, 11, 23, 24.
Through his miracle-working powers, Satan intends to deceive the
very elect. He knows this will be his final chance to deceive the saints,
and he wants to make the most of it. He will also work through spiritual-
ism to lead people away from the Word of God. He has been laying the
groundwork for this deception by promoting the natural immortality of
the soul. Leading people away from the biblical truth that the soul
ceases to exist at death, he encourages so-called communication with
the dead.
"But none need be deceived by the lying claims of spiritualism. God
has given the world sufficient light to enable them to discover the
snare. As already shown, the theory which forms the very foundation
of spiritualism is at war with the plainest statements of Scripture. The
Bible declares that the dead know not anything, that their thoughts
have perished; they have no part in anything that is done under the
sun; they know nothing of the joys or sorrows of those who were
dearest to them on earth."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 556.
Regardless of Satan's work, Noah maintained His faith in God's
word and remained in the ark for seven days before it began to rain.
Abraham left city and family, relying by faith on the word of God.
Caleb and Joshua urged Israel to take the land of Canaan. In the last
days, God's remnant people also will step out by faith to proclaim "the
everlasting gospel" and to prepare a people to meet Him.
Considering my relationship with God right now, am I will-
ing to submit to the Word of God, even when the evidence of my
senses seems to contradict it? Explain.
77
Friday
May 26
FURTHER STUDY:
Acts 17:31; Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10; Heb.
11:30; Gen. 1:1; 2:1-3; John 5:46, 47; Mark 13:5, 22.
Read
The Great Controversy,
"The First Great Deception," pp.
531-550; "Can Our Dead Speak to Us?" pp. 551-562; and "The Scrip-
tures a Safeguard," pp. 593-602.
"God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the
Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms.
The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or
decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are
the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority—not one
nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point
of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should
demand a plain 'Thus saith the Lord' in its support."—The
Great
Controversy,
p. 595.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
In these last days:
1.
What is the significance of the judgment-hour message?
2.
Why is it significant to worship God the Creator as He has
revealed Himself to us in the Bible?
3.
How does the Sabbath separate between those who live by
human tradition and those who live by faith in the unchange-
able Word of God?
4.
What safeguards do you have against the deceptions of Satan?
How can you fight his darkness with the light of God's truth?
SUMMARY:
God has a special message to be given just prior to His
second coming. It involves preaching the total message of Scripture
and to prepare the way of the Lord. This message is to call special
attention to the hour of God's judgment and to God's creative power.
This message is a call to worship God as He truly is. It is a plea to live by
faith in His Word rather than by faith in human capabilities—to accept
God's way of viewing things rather than ours. It is a call to repentance,
conversion, and transformation—a call that can be accepted only if we
come out of all false systems of worship. It is His plea for us to be
ready to meet Him, the only true God, when He comes.
78
wak
Bogdan's Spiritual Quest, Part 1
Barbara Huff
Bogdan grew up in a communist home in Ukraine. His parents
were engineers, and like most communists, they had no belief in
God.
However, during perestroika, Bogdan's mother bought a Bible.
Young Bogdan found it and began reading it. He discovered the
book of Revelation with its fearsome beasts. Intrigued, he kept
returning to it, trying to unlock the secrets he was sure it held. He
memorized the Lord's Prayer and often prayed it 100 times in a
day, including a request to understand the book of Revelation.
He continued reading the Bible when he was drafted into the
army. During this time he learned about baptism and decided to
be baptized as soon as his military service was over. A fellow
soldier often talked about the Bible, but his friend believed that
Revelation was a closed book. Bogdan could not accept this; he
continued searching.
True to his commitment, when Bogdan left the military, he
found an Orthodox priest and was baptized.
Bogdan returned home to look for work. But the economy of
the Ukraine was in shambles, and few jobs were available. Finally
he found work in a small brewery. The supervisor was a Hungar-
ian woman who spoke fluent English. Bogdan began learning
English as he studied the brewing business. When he was just 21
years old, he was offered a partnership in the brewery and a
chance to study brewing in Hungary.
One day Bogdan learned that a Canadian evangelist was hold-
ing Bible lectures in town. Still interested in the Bible and eager
to improve his English, he decided to go. After the meeting,
Bogdan waited to talk to the evangelist. As they spoke, the evan-
gelist asked if he could pray with Bogdan. The man placed his
hand on Bogdan's shoulder and prayed that
God would touch his heart. Suddenly
Bogdan felt a surge of power flow through
him, and his heart began to beat wildly.
(Continued next week)
Bogdan Koshelev (left). Barbara Huff is an
administrative secretary in the Euro-Asia
Division office in Moscow, Russia.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
(
79
Lesson 10
May 27—June 2
Millenial Expectation and
the Second Coming
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Deut. 18:22;
2
Pet. 3:1-18; Dan.
2:41-45; 8:14; 12:4, 9,10; Revelation 13.
MEMORY TEXT: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the
spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have
gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHTS:
Children of God who know that Jesus dwells
in their hearts by faith will long for His near return. While watching
for events that indicate His return is near and eagerly anticipating that
reunion, they will joyfully delight in His daily presence. Christ, rather
than the crisis, will be the focus of their lives at the end.
THE CHALLENGE OF THE MILLENNIUM.
As we enter this new
millennium, the excitement of prophetic fever is part of our global and
cultural climate as evidenced by a wide range of expectations.
Luke predicted that such a climate would exist at the end when
people's hearts would fail from fear and foreboding (21:26). Even
though the Bible predicts such a season, Christ's second advent will
still come as a "thief in the night" (1 Thess. 5:2). Many will be lulled
to sleep by false predictions that have no basis in Scripture.
This week, we shall try to discern the difference between Christ's
admonition to "watch" and "be ready" (Matt. 24:42, 44) and the general
fever of millennial expectation that leads to presumption and false
expectations.
80
Sunday
May 28
THE DANGER OF FALSE PREDICTIONS (Matt. 7:15-23; Deut.
18:22; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 Thess. 5:1-6).
By what criteria should prophetic claims be evaluated? Deut. 18:22;
Matt. 7:15-23.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has never set a date for Christ's
return, although a few individual members have tried. Recent dates they
have calculated on the basis of the jubilee include 1987, 1991, 1994,
1996, and 1998.
An Adventist friend recently received a letter, full of impressive
calculations, informing him that Jesus would return on New Year's
Day. My friend wrote this message on the envelope containing his
response: "Not to be opened until January 2." By the time this Bible
Study Guide appears, another date—probably linked to the year 2000—
will be in the mail.
Why do you think Jesus has not returned yet? 2 Pet. 3:9.
Time-setters often rationalize their mistakes by coming up with more
erroneous dates and explanations that are not Bible-based. Some also
misuse Ellen White's writings in the same way. She is clear that the
coming of Christ has been delayed:
"It was not the will of God that the coming of Christ should be thus
delayed. God did not design that His people, Israel, should wander
forty years in the wilderness. He promised to lead them directly to the
land of Canaan, and establish them there a holy, healthy, happy people.
But those to whom it was first preached, went not in 'because of
unbelief.' Their hearts were filled with murmuring, rebellion, and hatred,
and He could not fulfill His covenant with them.
"For forty years did unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion shut out
ancient Israel from the land of Canaan. The same sins have delayed the
entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan. In neither case
were the promises of God at fault. It is the unbelief, the worldliness,
unconsecration, and strife among the Lord's professed people that
have kept us in this world of sin and sorrow so many
years."—Evan-
gelism,
p. 696.
Jesus promised: "I will come again and receive you to Myself;
that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:3, NKJV).
The exciting thing about the Second Advent is the Christ of
the Advent. We are not to live on prediction, speculation, or
crisis excitement. We are to live instead on Christ-excitement!
81
Monday
May 29
THE LONGEST TIME PROPHECY (Dan. 8:14; 10:1, 2; 12:4-10).
How can the 2,300-year prophecy build up your confidence in
God's Word as we await the Second Coming? Dan. 8:14.
Seventh-day Adventists began as a prophetic movement rooted in
an understanding of the 2,300-year prophecy. Synonymous with the
Millerite movement, some "seventy-five prominent and respected voices,"
scattered over a dozen nations on four continents, tracked this proph-
ecy to fulfillment in about 1843-1847. These were all prior to publication
of William Miller's first book on prophecy in 1836.—Le Roy Edwin
Froom, "The Status of Prophetic Interpretation," in
The Prophetic
Faith of Our Fathers: The Historical Development of Prophetic Inter-
pretation
(Washington, D.C.: The Review and Herald Publishing Asso-
ciation, 1954), vol. 4, p. 403. Thirty-eight of these writers ended the
2,300 years in 1843 or 1844 and thirty in 1847. Many expositors were
convinced that the fulfillment of this prophecy marked the "time of
the end," the "latter days," or the "last days."—Page 407. William
Miller himself believed human probation would end shortly before the
Second Advent. (See page 409.)
Church historian Le Roy Edwin Froom wrote: "It disposes forever of
the notion that this [concept] was simply or principally an American
Millerite or New World concept. . . . It began, instead, on the Continent
of Europe and in the British Isles, but almost immediately appeared on
both sides of the Atlantic. It was distinctly international, and was virtu-
ally a simultaneous world phenomenon."—Page 410. This was a direct
fulfillment of Revelation 10:1, 2, which portrayed an angel with the open
book of Daniel standing on the land and on the sea.
The global impact of this prophecy was also predicted in Daniel 12.
Daniel predicted that "many" would understand the unsealed contents
of his book after the end of the 1,260 years, which closed in 1798
(12:4, 7). This promise was repeated in 12:9 and 10 to show the
certainty of the prophecy's fulfillment. Daniel wrote, "for the words
are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified
. . . the wise shall understand" (12:9, 10, NKJV).
Froom records the historical fulfillment of this prediction: "It was . . .
the spontaneous conviction of many of the finest minds of the time. . . ."
"And finally," writes Froom, "it lays low the suggestion that this
[concept] was the hobby of a single unstable religious group. . . . It was,
instead, spread with amazingly balanced distribution among all leading
religious groups or denominations."—Page 410.
Why has God allowed so much time to elapse between 1844
and the final end? What does this
say
about His character?
82
Tuesday
May 30
PROPHETIC MILEPOSTS, PART 1 (Dan. 12:4, 9, 10).
As the end approaches, how will God greatly increase our knowl-
edge of Jesus and the prophecies relating to His return? Dan. 12:4, 9,
10.
2.
Several signs of Christ's return are hidden in the prophecies of
Daniel to be opened only in "the time of the end."
In yesterday's lesson we noted the developing global interest in the
prophecies of Daniel and Revelation around the end of the eighteenth
and the beginning of the nineteenth centuries. In 1899, Ellen White
wrote: "The time has come for the light given [Daniel] to go to the world
as never before. If those for whom the Lord has done so much will walk
in the light, their knowledge of Christ and the prophecies relating to Him
will be greatly increased as they near the close of this earth's history."
—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
4, p. 1174.
The increased knowledge promised in Daniel 12:4 was "shut up"
for centuries. During that time sincere believers understood and ap-
preciated some of Daniel's prophecies. As Christ's second advent
neared, they were given a clearer and broader vision of closing events.
Prayerful study of Daniel and Revelation revealed the awesome di-
mensions of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. This
cosmic perspective offered a unified framework for understanding all
the great truths of Scripture. The final pieces included the judgment,
the Second Coming, resurrection, and the ultimate eradication of evil
from the universe.
Though the context of Daniel 12:4 points to an increased knowledge
of Scripture, the prophecy has also been interpreted as pointing to "the
stupendous advances of science and general knowledge in the last
century and a half, advances that have made possible a widespread
proclamation of the message of these prophecies."—SDA
Bible Com-
mentary, vol.
4, p. 879.
How have communication advances helped people understand
the prophecies? What role have they played in the advancement of
the everlasting gospel? Is global communication technology a "sign"
of Christ's near return? Explain your answer. What technological
advances are being used by Seventh-day Adventists today to
diffuse the three angels' messages to all parts of the world?
83
Wednesday
May 31
PROPHETIC MILEPOSTS, PART 2 (Dan. 2:41-45).
At what point of world history does the "stone" strike the feet of the
great image? Dan. 2:41-45.
The prophecy of the image of Daniel 2 points to the setting up of
God's kingdom at the time of the end. Ellen White highlights two signs
from the prophetic image. The iron and clay mixture, she says, repre-
sents (1) the "deterioration of the kingdoms of the earth in power and
glory," as well as (2) the "deterioration of religion and morality among
the people of these kingdoms."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible
Commentary,
vol. 4, p. 1168.
How are the signs mentioned above evident in today's political
and cultural environment? What factors are accelerating moral
decline and spiritual deterioration?
One sign is linked to the union of church and state on a global scale.
"The mingling of church craft and state craft is represented by the iron
and the clay. This union is weakening . . . the power of the churches.
This investing the church with the power of the state will bring evil
results."—"Manuscript 63, 1899,"
Manuscript Releases, vol.
1, p. 51.
Jesus taught His disciples that His kingdom is not of this world (John
18:36). Therefore, His faithful church could never set its affections
and hope on the success of an earthly empire. In contrast to Europe,
the founders of the United States recognized the moral virtue of the
separation of church and state. However, there are political forces
today challenging those founders' position.
Much of Western Europe is today largely indifferent to religion.
Their great cathedrals are empty monuments to a lost glory. To some, it
seems that the era when Europe was a Christian continent lies behind
us. In an attempt to regain their former influence, the historic churches
of Eastern Europe, delivered from communism, are again seeking
power through a connection with the state.
Every weekend in the USA, many millions attend their houses of
worship. Today their organized influence is being felt more and more on
all levels of government. The prophecies of the Bible are quickly being
fulfilled as the wall separating church and state begins to crumble.
In what ways do you see church and state joining forces
today? Are Adventists as sensitive to these dangers now as be-
fore? How can Adventists speak out without becoming overly
political? What can you do personally?
84
Thursday
June 1
A PARTNERSHIP OF BEASTLIKE POWERS (Revelation 13).
What elements of church and of state are described in Revelation
13? What current struggles are revealed there?
The elements of the Seventh-day Adventist view of Revelation 13
are not all new. From the Reformation on, expositors identified the papal
power as the ten-horned beast, the successor to Imperial Rome. Our
identification of the lamblike beast as the United States has its roots in
recognition of historical fulfillment. Le Roy Edwin Froom writes of "a
long background of antecedents developing over a course of centuries
before Seventh-day Adventists entered the picture."—Page 1093. The
1,260-year prophecy (Rev. 13:5) points to the years following 1798 as
a time of conflict for God's people. The first and second beast will
then unite efforts at the time of the end to enforce the mark of the beast
and to destroy God's remnant church (Rev. 13:12, 15).
When in 1899 Ellen White wrote about the mingling together of
church craft and state craft, the National Reform Association, founded
in 1863, was seeking a religious amendment to the U.S. Constitution. At
that time, a national Sunday Law bill had been introduced into the U.S.
Senate, and Protestants and Catholics were uniting to promote its
passage. These early attempts failed, but not before some Sabbath
keepers had languished in prisons for breaking Sunday laws. In the
same century, spiritualism gained international recognition and broad
acceptance in the West. Three prophetic powers emerged as actors in
an end-time drama: Romanism, apostate Protestantism, and spiritual-
ism. It seemed as though Revelation 13 were about to be fulfilled, but
God's people were not yet ready.
In 1899 Ellen White warned that "laws manufactured by satanic
agencies under a plea of goodness and restriction of evil will be
exalted."—Present Truth and Review and Herald Articles
(Dec. 26,
1899), vol. 4, p. 135. Even now, concerned citizens cite the loss of
family values, rising crime rates, and the evils of society as good
reasons for tampering with the U.S. Constitution.
To these events must be added the developing miracle-working
powers of Revelation 13:13 and 16:13, 14, such as the New Age move-
ment, excesses in the charismatic movement, scientific and media sup-
port for communication with the dead, and the spread of reincarnation
teachings.
The above are compelling signs that we stand on the threshold of
eternity. Will we be ready to enter in? What does it mean to be ready to
enter in and live an eternity in the presence of Jesus and the Father?
How does the Word of God define readiness to meet the Lord?
85
Friday
June 2
FURTHER STUDY: Daniel 2; 9; 12:4, 10; Matt. 24:23-27; Acts 1:9-
11; 2 Thess. 2:1-11.
"As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself
will [im]personate Christ. . . . In different parts of the earth, Satan will
manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling bright-
ness. . . . The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that
mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out. . . .
`Christ has come! Christ has come!'
"—The Great Controversy,
p. 624.
In 1992 an ultra-Orthodox sect of Judaism took a full page ad in the
New York Times
to reveal that "The Time for Your Redemption Has
Arrived." The Messiah, said the ad, was their leader, Rabbi Menachem
Mendel Schneerson, who has since died.—"Expecting the Messiah,"
Time
(March 23, 1992), p. 49.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
How is the 2,300-year prophecy a linchpin of signs pointing
to Christ's return?
2.
What other Adventist doctrines are connected to the fulfill-
ment of the 2,300-year prophecy?
3.
Who is most likely to be deceived by the counterfeit messiah:
those who have set dates for Jesus' return, those who have
ignored the signs of His coming, or both? Why?
SUMMARY:
In the 1890s, excited by revival in the church and a
threatened national Sunday law, many Seventh-day Adventists thought
Jesus' return was imminent. Ellen White cautioned: "We are not to
live upon time excitement. . . . No one will be able to predict just when
that time will come. . . . You will not be able to
say
that He will come
in one, two, or five years, neither are you to put off His coming by
stating that it may not be for ten or twenty
years."—Selected Mes-
sages,
book 1, p. 189.
86
Bogdan's Spiritual Quest, Part 2
Barbara Huff
Bogdan worked in a brewery when he heard that an evangelist
was holding meetings in town. Still interested in learning more
about the Bible and eager to practice his English, he decided to go.
After the meeting he talked with the pastor. When the pastor put
his hand on Bogdan's shoulder and asked God to touch his life, a
frightening power seemed to surge through his body, and his heart
began beating wildly.
Shaken, Bogdan went home and told his father about what had
happened. That night he lay in bed thinking about what had hap-
pened and what it could mean.
He attended the remaining meetings. At the close of the series,
the evangelist announced that the local pastor would hold a Rev-
elation Seminar. Eagerly Bogdan attended, and there he found the
keys that unlocked this fascinating book. But the knowledge he
gained left him in turmoil.
He had accepted an offer to study brewing in Hungary as part
of his work, but new insights into the truths of the Bible left him
wondering how the principles of Christianity and a career in the
brewery business could coexist.
Bogdan quit his job in the brewery and was baptized. He
remembered a voice that had spoken to him during the first evan-
gelistic meeting he had attended. "You should be standing there"
where the speaker stood. Was God calling him to be a pastor? It
seemed impossible. He had no job and no money to pay tuition.
Nevertheless, if God was calling him, he must go. But God
would have to perform a miracle. He confided his convictions in
the pastor, who told him that nothing was impossible for God. One
day the pastor came to Bogdan and said, "It's all arranged; you go
to Zaoksky to study theology."
Bogdan journeyed to Zaoksky seminary, where he is studying
to become a pastor. He does not know who has sponsored him, but
he knows that God has arranged everything. He had no idea when
he first read the Bible that his mother bought that his spiritual
quest would change his life. But he would not change anything
along the way, for he is convinced it was all in God's plan.
Bogdan Koshelev is studying at Zaoksky Seminary to become a
pastor. Barbara Huff is an administrative secretary in the Euro-Asia
Division office in Moscow, Russia.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
87
Lesson 11
June 3-9
The Certainty of the
Second Coming
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Acts 1:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:51-53;
Rev. 22:12; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2 Pet. 3:9-12; Titus 2:11-13.
MEMORY TEXT: "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in
God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if
it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive
you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:1-
3, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHTS:
The second coming of Christ is the time of a
personal and intimate reunion with our Savior and Lord. His coming
will be visible to all; and with great glory He will take the righteous
home to live with Him for all eternity.
THE GRAND CLIMAX.
The second coming is the grand climax of
all that has gone before. It is the "Hallelujah Chorus," the culmination
of the work of God through the prophets, apostles, and Jesus Christ
Himself. It is the focal point toward which God has been working ever
since sin entered the world.
Our understanding and knowledge of it are dependent upon the
authority of the Bible. Yet, the Bible has little significance for us unless
its message results in our reunion with Christ. Creation has little signifi-
cance if it does not result in fellowship with the Creator. The Second
Coming brings about the restoration of that which was lost in Eden—
face-to-face fellowship with God.
88
Sunday
June 4
THE MANNER OF CHRIST'S COMING (Matt. 24:23-27; Acts
1:9-11).
How widely known will be the coming of Christ? Matt. 24:23-27.
How many will see Him come? Rev. 1:7.
Describe the glory of the coming of Christ.
Matt. 25:31
1 Thess. 4:16
Christ will come as King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16). All
the holy angels will accompany Him on the triumphant return to earth
(Matt. 25:31). His return will not be secret, nor will it be some kind of a
mystical event. This literal, visible event will begin a new and glorious
chapter in human history.
What will be the manner of the coming of Christ? Acts 1:9-11.
Christ will come in person in the same manner in which He ascended
into heaven. He was not a mystical spirit-being at the time of His
ascension. Resurrected bodily after Calvary, He was not only seen but
was touched by His disciples (John 20:27-29). He even ate food (Luke
24:36-43). He had forever become one with humanity.
It is comforting to think that Jesus will return not only as King of
kings and Lord of lords but also as our friend, forever one with us.
In our modern era, it is sometimes considered unsophisticated to ac-
cept the notion that Christ was bodily resurrected from the dead and
that He bodily ascended into heaven. Resurrections have never taken
place in our age, it is argued, therefore they did not take place back then.
However, if we accept the Bible as the Word of God, we must accept
also the bodily ascension of Jesus Christ and His bodily return. Further-
more, as we have seen this quarter, biblical doctrine is a unity. We cannot
reject one part of it without affecting our understanding of the whole.
How would my concept of the Second Coming and of heaven differ
if I thought of the risen Lord as a powerful idea or a mystical spirit
rather than as a real person who was resurrected bodily from the dead?
89
Monday
June 5
RESURRECTION AND TRANSFORMATION (1 Thess. 4:13-
17; 1 Cor. 15:12-20, 51-53).
What will happen to the righteous dead and the righteous living at
the second coming of Christ? 1 Thess. 4:13-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-53.
The Bible views a person as one. Adam was formed of the dust of
the ground. God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and he
became a living soul (Gen. 2:7). The soul is not something that exists
apart from the body, for we are not composed of a number of independ-
ent parts. We are one. At death, the spirit (the breath of life) returns to
God, who gave it, and the body returns to dust, where it came from
(Eccles. 12:7). The soul ceases to exist until the Second Coming. At that
time, the creative power of God will go into action again, and the dead in
Christ will be resurrected (the spirit or "breath of life" and the body will
be united and will become a living soul). Then those who are alive will
also be transformed: "this mortal will put on immortality" (1 Cor.15:53).
How does Paul argue for the resurrection of the saints? 1 Cor.
15:12-20.
Paul uses the resurrection of Christ as a promise of our resurrection.
Just as Christ was resurrected from the dead, those who have died in
Him will be resurrected. Christ is the firstfruit of those who have
fallen asleep in Him (1 Cor. 15:14-19).
"If Christ be not risen, Christian witness is condemned on two
counts: (1) Jesus repeatedly declared that He would rise from the dead
(see Matt. 16:21; 17:22, 23; 20:17-19; etc.), and if He did not rise, He was
an impostor; (2) the apostles were basing their preaching on an event
that they alleged did occur, and thus were parties to the imposture,
holding out a hope that could not be fulfilled."—SDA
Bible Commen-
tary,
vol. 6, p. 802.
The biblical picture of Creation, sin, death, the resurrection of Christ,
and the resurrection at His second coming all fit together harmoni-
ously. We are created, unified beings. Because of sin, we die, at which
time the unified being ceases to exist. At the resurrection, the dead in
Christ will be restored to life eternal with Him.
What does the bodily resurrection of Christ mean to me?
What does it say about my resurrection if I should die before He
comes? What does it say about my transformation if I should
live until He comes? How does this bring hope, courage, and
comfort to me and to those with whom I work and live?
90
Tuesday
June 6
A TIME OF REWARD AND JUDGMENT (Matt. 16:27; 2 Thess.
1:7-10; Rev. 6:14-17).
When will the final reward be given and to whom? Matt. 16:27;
Rev. 22:12.
What great separation will take place at the coming of Christ, and
what will He say to each group? Matt. 25:31, 32, 34, 41.
The righteous are not rewarded at death but rather at the resurrec-
tion of the just (Luke 14:13, 14). They, as the writer of Hebrews ob-
serves, will not be made perfect without us (Heb. 11:39, 40). Paul
anticipated the crown of righteousness that would be given him "on
that Day," and not to him only "but also to all who have loved His
appearing" (2 Tim. 4:8, NKJV).
How will the wicked respond to the coming of Christ, and what will
happen to them? Rev. 6:14-17; 2 Thess. 1:7-10.
By the decisions made day by day, we determine our status at the
coming of Christ. Our reward is determined during the judgment that
takes place just prior to the Second Coming. Though works are not the
basis of salvation, they are the basis of judgment; for works are the fruit
of salvation. When the righteous are judged by their good works (the
fruit of salvation), they are found to be clothed in the perfect righteous-
ness of Christ.
At the Second Coming, the righteous dead will be resurrected to
eternal life; the righteous living will be transformed, for this mortal shall
put on immortality. The living wicked, however, will be destroyed at
the coming of Christ. "In the beginning, man was created in the
likeness of God, not only in character, but in form and feature. Sin
defaced and almost obliterated the divine image; but Christ came to
restore that which had been lost. He will change our vile bodies and
fashion them like unto His glorious body. The mortal, corruptible
form, devoid of comeliness, once polluted with sin, becomes perfect,
beautiful, and immortal. All blemishes and deformities are left in the
grave."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 645.
Are you among those who happily anticipate the appearing of
Christ? Based on your answer, list some ways this would make a
difference in your life this week.
91
Wednesday
June
7
CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE SECOND COMING (Matt.
24:6, 7, 14; Mark 13:32, 33; 2 Pet. 3:9-12).
List some signs of the nearness of the Second Coming:
Matt. 24:6, 7
Luke 21:11
2 Tim. 3:1-5
1 Tim. 4:1, 2
Matt. 24:14
Why do you think there have been many attempts to set the date for
Christ's second coming, considering what He says in Mark 13:32,
33?
"But the day and the hour of His coming Christ has not revealed. . .
Had He been at liberty to reveal this, why need He have exhorted them
to maintain an attitude of constant expectancy? There are those who
claim to know the very day and hour of our Lord's appearing. . . . But the
Lord has warned them off the ground they occupy."—The
Desire of
Ages,
pp. 632, 633.
Why does Christ seem to delay His coming, and how can we help to
hasten it? 2 Pet. 3:9-12.
God does not view delay the same way we do. One reason for the
seeming delay is that He wants as many as possible to be saved. That is
why Jesus commissions us to make disciples of all nations. "By giving
the gospel to the world it is in our power to hasten our Lord's return.
We are not only to look for but to hasten the coming of the day of
God. . . . Had the church of Christ done her appointed work as the
Lord ordained, the whole world would before this have been warned,
and the Lord Jesus would have come to our earth in power and great
glory."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 633, 634.
Does God's extended grace give us excuse to delay our deci-
sion for Christ and our preparation for His return? What are
some possible benefits or dangers?
92
Thursday
June 8
BE READY! (Luke 17:26-30; Matt. 24:43, 44; 2
Pet. 3:11, 12).
Compare the days of Noah and of Lot with those just preceding
the Second Coming. Luke 17:26-30.
It is not wrong to eat, to marry, to buy and sell land, to plant gardens,
and to build. It is wrong to make these things our priority above
preparation for our Lord's return. ( Read Matt. 6:33, NKJV.)
Christ used a number of parables to describe our need to be ready
for His coming. Show how each of the following parables illustrates
this need for preparedness:
1. The thief at midnight (Matt. 24:43, 44)
2.
The master's return (Matt. 24:45-51)
3.
The ten virgins (Matt.
25:1-13)
Have you ever missed a major event through indifference or care-
lessness? Your friends were there, the occasion was fantastic, the
event memorable, but you were elsewhere. Many will miss the kingdom
not only because of willful sin but also because of neglect.
In view of the nearness of Christ's coming, how should we live?
2 Pet. 3:11; Titus 2:11-13.
Abiding in Jesus fills us with confidence as we await His coming
(1 John 2:28). Our love for Him and His appearing propel us to live to
please Him in all things. Our hearts will thrill with love as they
contemplate His return. If we truly love Him, we will prepare for His
coming with the same joy and care with which a bride prepares to
meet her bridegroom for the wedding ceremony.
What priority does the soon coming of Jesus Christ have in
my life? What impact has it had on my daily life and witness this
week? What can I do differently next week?
93
Friday
June 9
FURTHER STUDY: Job 14:1-15; Isa. 33:14-17; 55-56:7; Matt. 24:12;
Mark 13:32-37; Luke 17:26-30; 18:7, 8; 21:25-28; 2 Thess. 2:8-10;
1 Tim. 4:1-4; 2 Tim. 4:1-4; Heb. 10:27, 28; 12:29; Rev. 14:6, 7.
Read the chapters "The Time of Trouble" and "God's People
Delivered," in
The Great Controversy,
pp. 613-652.
The prophets and apostles eagerly anticipated the return of Christ.
Isaiah said, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He
will save us" (Isa. 25:9, NKJV). Paul looked "for the blessed hope and
glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus
2:13).
Think of a time in your life when you could hardly stand to wait
any longer for reunion with a spouse, parent, child, or a dear friend.
You looked out the window; you walked out to the road; you thought
of the first words you would say, and then . . . "Soon there appears in
the east a small black cloud, about half the size of a man's hand. It is
the cloud which surrounds the Saviour and which seems in the dis-
tance to be shrouded in darkness. The people of God know this to be
the sign of the Son of man. In solemn silence they gaze upon it as it
draws nearer the earth, becoming lighter and more glorious, until it is
a great white cloud, its base a glory like consuming fire, and above it
the rainbow of the covenant. Jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror."
—The Great Controversy,
pp. 640, 641.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
What does the bodily resurrection of Christ say about the
reality of the eternal life we will enjoy in the earth made new?
2.
You have a neighbor who believes that the righteous will receive
their reward when they die. How would you explain from Revela-
tion 22:12 that receiving their reward will occur only at Christ's
second coming?
3.
The only way to have assurance in Jesus and to be prepared for
His coming is to continue abiding in Him as the branches abide
in the vine. Why is this so?
SUMMARY:
The plan of salvation is a connected whole from begin-
ning to end. Just as Jesus Christ created by the word of His mouth in
the beginning, so will He resurrect by the word of His mouth at the
Second Coming. The Second Coming reverses the results of the trans-
gression of humankind in the Garden of Eden—it restores our full
relationship with God. Jesus came to live and die on our behalf, in order
to restore us to the perfection of our creation at His return.
94
Stanislaw's Search for Healing
J. H. Zachary
Tomaszyk Stanislaw is well known in his province of Poland.
During his youth he had won many awards in the sport of weight
lifting. He was proud of his muscular physique; he enjoyed excel-
lent health and looked forward to a good life.
But shortly after his fortieth birthday he began to experience
considerable pain in his joints. Stiffness and weakness set in. Soon
this strong man had to use a wheelchair to get around.
One day while browsing in a book shop, he found a book on
health. As he leafed through it, he decided he must have this book.
He noticed that it was published by one of the sects in Poland that
his priest had warned parishioners about. But he bought it anyway.
As he read the book, he found that the lifestyle suggestions
made sense to him. He adjusted his life in accordance with the
book's suggestions. He gave up meat and began following the
eight principles for good health: good nutrition, exercise, use of
water, sunshine, plenty of fresh air, temperance, adequate rest,
and trust in God.
Stanislaw noticed that the book often referred to the Bible. He
purchased a Bible and began reading it. As he found new biblical
principals, he put them into practice in his life. He was amazed at
the difference it made. As he continued reading the Bible, he
realized that the Bible commands believers to keep Sabbath holy
rather than Sunday. He began keeping the Sabbath.
Stanislaw's wife did not share Stanislaw's new religious enthu-
siasm or the changes he was making in his life, and eventually she
left him. Undaunted, Stanislaw began searching for people who
followed the principles he had found in the health book. He searched
for five years before he met an Adventist pastor who confirmed
that Seventh-day Adventists teach and practice the biblical and
health principles he had found. Stanislaw is studying the Bible
with the pastor and looks forward to being baptized.
In every community honest souls are searching for a better life
by improving their health, reducing their stress levels, and finding
answers to their spiritual questions. It is up to believers every-
where to find those honest hearts and lead them to the Source of al l
health and healing through Jesus Christ.
J. H. Zachary is international evangelism coordinator for The Quiet Hou r
in cooperation with the General Conference Ministerial Association.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
95
Lesson 12
June 10-16
The Millennium, the End
of Evil, and the Beginning
of the New Earth
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Isa. 65:21-25; John 14:1-3; 1 Cor.
6:2; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:6-15; 21:2, 8.
MEMORY TEXT: "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying,
`Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them,
and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their
God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be
no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain,
for the former things have passed away" (Revelation 21:3, 4, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHTS:
The millennium will be preceded by the second
coming of Christ and followed by the destruction of the wicked and the
establishment of the new earth. These events will restore the universe
to harmony with God.
WORTH THE WAIT AND THE CLIMB.
Backpacking in the high
mountains can be an "enjoyable" family activity. You start out in the
valley on a hot and dusty trail that leads to the wilderness you intend to
hike. You sweat, your muscles ache, you sleep on the damp ground. You
pretend to enjoy your meager rations of food, slightly seasoned with soot
and sand. Your lungs burn from lack of oxygen. You ask yourself, Who
in his or her right mind would ever think of doing this again!
Then you reach the top. Before you lies an awesome landscape shared
only with the few who have gone before. Trials and tribulations of the
journey are forgotten. IT IS WORTH THE WAIT AND THE CLIMB!
96
Sunday
June 11
THE MILLENNIUM BEGINS (Rev. 19:11-16; John 14:1-3).
Though not a biblical term,
millennium
almost always refers to the
one-thousand-year period mentioned in Revelation 20. Chapters 19 and
20 describe events from the Second Coming through the millennium and
to the establishment of the new earth.
How does John describe Christ's return to the earth at the begin-
ning of the millennium? Rev. 19:11-16.
"Accompanied by the angel armies of heaven (ch. 19:14), Christ is
seen descending from heaven as King of kings (v. 16) in power and
majesty to deliver His faithful people from those who are bent upon
their destruction. . . . The scene described in vs. 11-21 is the climax of
`the battle of that great day of God Almighty,' often called the battle of
Armageddon."—The
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
7, p. 873.
As we saw last week, two groups of people will be present at the
second coming of Christ—those who worship Christ and those who
live under the control of Satan (Matt. 25:31-46). Jesus returns to gather
the elect of the earth (Matt. 24:31). The righteous dead will arise in what
Scripture calls the first resurrection; then the living righteous will join
them in joyously greeting Christ as He arrives from heaven (1 Cor.
15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17). The happy throng will then go to live with
their Savior for a thousand years. No wicked are part of that great
procession through the stars! They lie dead upon the earth, destroyed
by the radiance of the Lord whose rule they rejected.
"At the coming of Christ the wicked are blotted from the face of the
whole earth—consumed with the spirit of His mouth and destroyed by
the brightness of His glory. Christ takes His people to the City of God,
and the earth is emptied of its inhabitants. 'Behold, the Lord maketh the
earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and
scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.' . . .
"The whole earth appears like a desolate wilderness. The ruins of
cities and villages destroyed by the earthquake, uprooted trees, ragged
rocks thrown out by the sea or torn out of the earth itself, are scattered
over its surface, while vast caverns mark the spot where the mountains
have been rent from their foundations."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 657.
How do I view the future events associated with the Second
Coming? Are these merely facts to be studied for curiosity's sake or to
be anxious about? How should I view them from Christ's perspective:
"Let not your heart be troubled.... I will come again and receive you to
Myself; that where I am, there you may be also"? (John 14:1-3, NI(JV).
97
Monday
June 12
DURING THE MILLENNIUM (1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 6:14; 20:1-4).
Where does Satan spend the millennium? Rev. 20:1-3.
What will the earth be like during the millennium? 2 Pet. 3:10;
Rev. 6:14.
"At the beginning of the millennium occurs also the binding and
confining of Satan, represented in the vision by the dragon's being
chained and cast into the bottomless pit 'that he should deceive the
nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled' (Rev. 20:1-
3). These symbols SDA's believe will be fulfilled in the confinement of
Satan to this earth, which has been desolated by the judgments of God
(16:17-21), and in the restriction of his activities, caused by the depopu-
lation of the earth as a result of the removal of the redeemed to heaven
and the destruction of the wicked."—SDA
Encyclopedia,
p. 888.
"In like manner, when the work of atonement in the heavenly
sanctuary has been completed, then in the presence of God and heav-
enly angels and the hosts of the redeemed the sins of God's people
will be placed upon Satan; he will be declared guilty of all the evil
which he has caused them to commit. And as the scapegoat was sent
away into a land not inhabited, so Satan will be banished to the
desolate earth, an uninhabited and dreary wilderness."—The
Great
Controversy,
p. 658.
What will the righteous be doing during the millennium? Rev.
20:4; 1 Cor. 6:2.
"During the thousand years between the first and the second resur-
rection the judgment of the wicked takes place. The apostle Paul points
to this judgment as an event that follows the second advent. 'Judge
nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light
the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of
the hearts.' 1 Corinthians 4:5. Daniel declares that when the Ancient of
Days came, 'judgment was given to the saints of the Most High.' Daniel
7:22. At this time the righteous reign as kings and priests unto God."
—The Great Controversy,
pp. 660, 661.
How does it make you feel to know that the righteous will help
judge the wicked during the millennium? What does this tell you
about God's character?
98
Tuesday
June 13
AT THE CLOSE OF THE MILLENNIUM (Rev. 19:8, 9; 20:3,
7, 11-15; 21:2, 8).
Christ and Paul speak of two main resurrections—for those who
have followed Christ, the resurrection of life; and for those who have
rejected Him, the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28, 29; Acts
24:15). Since the resurrection of the righteous is the "first resurrection"
(Rev. 20:5, 6), we may refer to the resurrection of the wicked as the
"second resurrection."
What will happen to Satan at the end of the millennium? Rev.
20:3, 7.
During the millennium, Satan is confined to earth. Since the right-
eous are in heaven and the wicked are dead, Satan has no one to
deceive during this period. But at the end of the millennium, Satan will
be released from solitary confinement and will again deceive the na-
tions, the evil citizens who have been resurrected.
What does Satan intend to accomplish through the wicked hosts?
Rev. 20:7-9. What entity will be the object of their attack? Rev. 21:2.
Although the descent of the New Jerusalem is not mentioned until
Revelation 21, it is apparent that the city has already descended by the
time Satan prepares for war (Rev. 20:9). According to the scriptural
record, he marshals his armies of the damned and surrounds the holy
city (Rev. 20:7-9).
What judgment will take place at the end of the millennium, and
what will be its ultimate consequence? Rev. 20:11-15; 21:8.
"Satan's work of ruin is forever ended. For six thousand years he has
wrought his will, filling the earth with woe and causing grief throughout
the universe. The whole creation has groaned and travailed together in
pain. Now God's creatures are forever delivered from his presence and
temptations:The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they [the right-
eous] break forth into singing.' Isaiah
14:7."—The Great Contro-
versy,
p. 673.
Contemplate this most wonderful thought: The day is coming
when Satan and His work will be no more! Take a moment to
thank God for that.
99
Wednesday
June 14
HELL: ETERNAL OR FINAL? (Matt. 10:28; Ps. 37:20; Rev. 21:8).
Of which death do the wicked partake? Rev. 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8. Do
they suffer forever in hellfire? Matt. 10:28; Ps. 37:20.
The Bible reveals that the wicked will be destroyed. They will cease
to exist. "And the day which is coming shall burn them up, . . . that will
leave them neither root nor branch" (Mal. 4:1, NKJV). The wicked will be
"devoured" (Rev. 20:9; Ps. 21:9; Heb. 10:27); "destroyed" (Ps. 145:20;
2 Thess. 1:9); and "nothing" of them will survive (Isa. 41:11, 12).
Several Bible passages refer to "everlasting fire" (Matt. 18:8),
"eternal fire" (Jude 7), and smoke ascending "forever and ever" (Rev.
14:11). How shall we understand such expressions? They do not teach
that the wicked live on, tormented forever in hell, but that the destruc-
tion of the wicked will be complete and final.
"A study of the usage and meaning of the Greek term
aionios,
as
used in connection with the fire of the last days, shows that the
emphasis is on its destructiveness rather than on its duration. For
example, Sodom and Gomorrah met with the punishment of eternal
(aionios)
fire (Jude 7). The fire completely destroyed these cities, but
became extinct long centuries ago. Jude set forth the destruction of
these cities as an 'example' of the fate that awaited the licentious
apostates of his day. The term 'unquenchable' may be similarly under-
stood. Jeremiah predicted that God would kindle a fire in the gates of
Jerusalem that would 'not be quenched' (Jer. 17:27). This prediction
was fulfilled when the city was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar (Jer.
52:12, 13; cf. Neh. 1:3). . . . Clearly the meaning is that it would not be
quenched but would thoroughly destroy."—SDA
Bible Dictionary,
revised edition, p. 475.
How is the earth purified? 2 Pet. 3:10. What is death called, and
what happens to it? 1 Cor. 15:26; Rev. 20:14.
"The whole universe will have become witnesses to the nature and
results of sin. And its utter extermination, which in the beginning would
have brought fear to angels and dishonor to God, will now vindicate His
love and establish His honor before the universe of beings who delight
to do His will, and in whose heart is His law. Never will evil again be
manifest. Says the word of God: 'Affliction shall not rise up the
second time.' Nahum
1:9."—The Great Controversy,
p. 504.
Consider the two conflicting concepts: an eternally burning hell
and the final destruction of sin and sinners. In what ways does accept-
ance of these concepts affect your relationship with God?
100
Thursday
June 15
THE NEW EARTH—HOME AT LAST! (Isa. 11:6-9; 1 John 3:2;
Rev. 21:2, 3; 22:1-7).
What gives us absolute confidence in the reality of the new earth?
Rev. 22:1-7.
Our sure knowledge of heaven does not come from human imagi-
nation but from God's revelation through the prophets and apostles.
By faith in God's Word we look forward to "the city which has
foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Heb. 11:10, NKJV).
Heaven is unimaginable! For "eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor
have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared
for those who love Him" (1 Cor. 2:9).
God will make all things new (Rev. 21:5, 6)—a new heaven and new
earth in which our former trials and tribulations will be forgotten (Isa.
65:17). We can rely upon God's promise of new heavens and a new
earth wherein dwells righteousness (2 Pet. 3:13). Heaven will be inhab-
ited by the meek (Matt. 5:5; Ps. 37:11). We will never fear footsteps
approaching us from behind, for "there shall by no means enter it
anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those
who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life" (Rev. 21:27).
What do the following texts tell you about the relationship between
God and the redeemed in the new earth?
1.
Rev. 21:2, 3
2.
Rev. 21:22-24
3.
Rev. 22:4
4.
1 John 3:2
From Eden lost to Eden restored, we will have come full circle in the
plan of salvation. The face-to-face relationship lost through sin will be
restored in the new earth. We shall see Him as He is, for we shall be like
Him in character. No barrier of sin will disrupt relationships. IT WILL
HAVE BEEN WORTH THE WAIT AND THE CLIMB.
What will be our living conditions in the new earth? Isa. 11:6-9;
65:21-25; Rev. 21:4; 22:3. Picture yourself among the redeemed of
all ages at the end of the millennium. What would be going through
your mind as you enter the Holy City? What choices should you be
making right now to ensure your being there?
101
Friday
June 16
FURTHER STUDY:
Isa. 14:12-17; 24:1-6; 35:10; 66:22, 23; Heb.
12:29; Rev. 2:7; 22:2, 14.
Read
The Great Controversy,
pp. 653-678.
"In union with Christ they [the righteous] judge the wicked, compar-
ing their acts with the statute book, the Bible, and deciding every case
according to the deeds done in the body. Then the portion which the
wicked must suffer is meted out, according to their works; and it is
recorded against their names in the book of death."—The
Great Con-
troversy,
p. 661.
John wrote his Gospel to convince us that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God, and that if we believe, we "may have life in His name" (John
20:31, NKJV). The Gospel reaches a high point when the doubting
Thomas confesses his faith in Jesus as the Christ (John 20:28).
The same burden pervades the book of Revelation. John wants us to
know that Christ will return quickly (Rev. 22:12), bearing rewards for the
righteous. Descriptions of these "gifts" are scattered like jewels throughout
the book. The righteous will have access to the healing leaves of the
tree of life in the midst of paradise (22:2). They will receive a crown of
life (2:10); feed on "hidden manna" (2:17); have power over nations
(2:26); wear white garments (3:5); have God's new name written on
them (3:12); sit with Christ on His throne (3:21) as kings and priests
(5:10);
they will never shed another tear
(7:17).
Clothed in fine linen—the righteous acts of the saints—(19:8), they
shall sit as judges and reign with Christ for a thousand years (20:4);
escape the second death (20:6); partake of the tree of life, which grows
beside the pure river of life, proceeding from the throne of God (22:1, 2);
reside where there is no more curse (22:3); see God's face and have His
name in their foreheads (22:4); live in His light and reign with Him
forever (22:5); have the right to eat forever of the tree of life (2:7); and to
enter freely the gates of the Holy City (22:14).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Which of the many responses of praise to God in the Rev-
elation represent how I feel about Him? (4:11; 5:9, 12, 13;
6:10; 11:13, 17; 15:3, 4). Explain.
2.
How will I respond to John's plea that I accept Jesus now and
remain in Him forever? (Rev. 22:17).
SUMMARY:
John tells us that Jesus loved us so much that He washed
our sins in His own blood (Rev. 1:5). John prophesied that throughout
the ages there would be some who would accept that sacrifice and
many who would reject it. He invites us to join the redeemed of all ages
to accept Christ's offer of total restoration for all eternity.
102
The One-day River
Joe Dugucagi
When Joe Dugucagi [doon-goo-KAHN-gee] joined the Adventist
church in Fiji, he was the only Adventist in his village. He met strong
opposition from others when he tried to share his faith, but eventually a
few others were baptized.
The believers held evangelistic meetings, and seven people pre-
pared for baptism. But an eight- month drought had left the nearby river
dry. Some skeptical villagers jeered at the Adventists, who insisted on
baptizing by immersion, even when there was no water. The only
alternative was to baptize the new believers in an oil drum. The day
before the baptism, the believers carried water to fill the barrel. That
evening they gathered for vespers and once more asked God for rain,
though the skies were clear.
The next morning Joe saw puddles of water outside his door. He
realized that it must have rained during the night, although no one had
heard rain, even on his house's metal roof. Excited, he hurried to the
river and found the water level was up to his chest! He ran to tell the
pastor the good news.
The believers gathered under the clear sky to worship and praise
God, then moved to the river for the baptism. It was a glorious day for
the little Adventist congregation!
The following morning Joe went down to the river to bathe, but he
found only a few puddles where yesterday there had been a full river.
He walked some distance to another channel of the same river and
found water there. Apparently Friday night's rain had caused the river
to change course and fill the river channel nearest the village. When the
water receded, the river returned to its normal channel.
The villagers were amazed that the rain had filled the river channel
in answer to the believers' prayers, then left it dry the next day. Many
who had jeered the Adventists re-
sponded with interest.
The church in Joe's village now has
about 40 members, thanks to God's
blessings and to the believers' answered
prayers.
Joe Dugucagi (left) works in Suva,
Fiji but spends his weekends in his rural
village, where he continues to share his
faith.
411
1
K;Allba
Produced by the General Conference Office of
Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
103
Lesson 13
June 17-23
God Reveals His
Righteousness
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Gen. 3:1-8; Exod. 3:14; Job
1:8-12; Ps. 98:2-9; Isa. 45:22-24; John 14:6; Rev. 19:11.
MEMORY TEXT: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God
Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, 0 King of the saints! Who
shall not fear You, 0 Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone
are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for
Your judgments have been manifested" (Revelation 15:3, 4, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHTS:
At the end of the millennium, every knee will
bow, responding to God's revelation of His righteousness. All beings
in God's great universe will acknowledge that God is love, truth, and
justice.
SOME OF THE TRAGEDIES
that we confront in the legal systems
of the world today have to do with the fact that often we are not certain
whether justice is really done. God's government is sometimes put on
trial even by well-intended individuals. It is as if the creatures would
have the power and authority to take their own Creator to court, to
determine whether He is a good and reliable God worthy of their trust.
The Scriptures reveal that no one can take God to court to pass
judgment on Him or to evaluate Him. However, God has voluntarily
allowed His creatures to witness His acts and the proceedings of the
final judgment in order to see that He is an altogether righteous and
merciful God and that the accusations of the demonic powers against
Him had no foundation whatsoever.
104
Sunday
June 18
HUMAN STANDARDS CANNOT BE USED TO JUDGE GOD
(Isa. 40:6-28).
God sent Moses to Egypt to ask Pharaoh to let His people go free to
worship Him in the wilderness. Pharaoh challenged Moses, asking him:
"Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?" (Exod.
5:2, NKJV). This is indeed an important question, because its answer
testifies to the power of the Lord to judge nations and defeat His
enemies. God in Egypt acted as the judge of the nation and defeated the
magicians and the gods of Pharaoh.
Read the description of God found in Isaiah 40:12-14, 17-28. Then
list the characteristics of God that qualify Him to judge the
nations of the earth.
Think for a moment. Would it be possible for human beings or any
intelligent creatures to judge God and take Him to court? Perhaps from
our familiarity with human legal systems comes a desire to bring God
into a court of justice where we could require Him to justify Himself. In
our sophisticated era, humans are using philosophy, science, and other
human disciplines as the basis for evaluating God and passing judg-
ment on His existence or on His lovingkindness. But God's infinite
power and wisdom and His own mysterious nature place Him beyond
the full comprehension of our finite minds.
What comparison does Isaiah make between our thoughts and ways
and those of God? Isa. 55:8, 9. What status do the judgments of God
have? Rom. 11:33.
God is the Incomparable One! God asked His people, "To whom then
will you liken Me, or to whom shall I be equal?" (Isa. 40:25). No one can
ever be adequate to pass judgment on this unique and majestic God.
Outside Himself there is no standard that we can use to measure the
love and justice of His actions. It is He and only He who can perfectly
judge the universe, because He is our Creator and Redeemer.
In what sense and on what basis did Eve judge God, and what was the
result of her function as judge? Gen. 3:1-8.
In what ways have some of my actions been similar to those of
Eve? How does trusting God help me in this area?
105
Monday
June 19
THE SOURCE OF ALL LOVE, TRUTH, AND JUSTICE (Exod.
3:14; John 14:6; 1 Cor. 1:30; 1 John 3:16).
When a telephone pole fell on his car during a storm, Rodney
Bowman of Florin, Pennsylvania, suffered a broken back. He sued the
telephone company for $10,830 in damages. In defense, the company
argued that the accident was "an act of God," a charge that has been
heard occasionally in the courts of the United States. Who do you
think was responsible?
Who does God say He is? Exod. 3:14.
God is the great "I AM," the self-existent One. He is not dependent
upon any other being, thing, or idea for His existence. He is Himself
the Creator—the Source of life, matter, and truth. God gives wisdom
and understanding (Isa. 54:13; John 6:45). Fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom (Ps. 111:10; Job 28:28). In Christ are hidden all
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:2, 3). Jehovah is the
foundation of all wisdom, all truth, and
all
knowledge. (See Ellen G.
White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 1079.)
According to Paul and John, of what is God the source?
1 Cor. 1:30
John 14:6
1 John 3:16; 4:7, 10
Because of His revelation in Jesus Christ and the Bible, we can know
something of God and the world He has created for us. God's Word
gives light and understanding (Ps. 119:98-100, 105, 130). It is the basis
for right thinking and doing (Ps. 119:1, 2, 5, 6, 11, 30; 1 Tim. 6:20).
So-called wise persons who reject the Word of the Lord are ashamed
and dismayed; there is no wisdom in them (Jer. 8:9).
God is beyond the highest expression of truth and love. He Himself
is
truth, love, and life. He is the Source and the basis of our knowledge
of them. So when we attempt to obtain principles above God by which
to judge Him, we are actually attempting to place ourselves above God.
In what everyday ways do we judge God? Perhaps when we return
tithe and then suffer a financial downturn. Or perhaps a neighbor
loses a child to cancer and we say, "We just can't understand why God
let that happen." How should we relate to such situations, and why?
106
Tuesday
June 20
GOD IS THE JUDGE (Ps. 94:2; 96:13; Dan. 7:10, 22; John 5:22;
Acts 10:42).
God
is the One who establishes justice in the earth (Isa. 42:4). He is
proclaimed as judge in the Scriptures because He created everything
there is and therefore has universal dominion (Rev. 14:7; Ps. 110:6). He
is the Source of all love and justice. He is the moral Arbiter of the world,
who differentiates with absolute exactness justice from injustice, love
from hatred, and moral from immoral. Those who believe in Him can
trust Him as their judge and joyfully look forward to the time when He
will judge them (Ps. 26:1-12). Knowing that there is only
One
Person to
whom we have to answer as our judge, and knowing also that He is
loving and compassionate, is a comforting truth for any person in need of
forgiveness. Perhaps even more significant is the fact that God entrusted
judgment to His Son, who became one of us. God has done all that He
could do to show the universe the righteousness of His judgments.
What is the value of human judgments upon God?
Job 40:2,8
Rom. 9:20, 21
Isa. 40:23
The human desire to pass judgment on God and His actions is at the
root of the sin problem. It is the desire to live our lives independently of
God; to know our own truth, to determine our own morality, and to live
by our own wisdom. We must be on guard against those who "presume
to pass sentence upon God's moral
government."—Patriarchs and
Prophets,
124.
"Let men remember that they have a Ruler in the heavens, a God who
will not be trifled with. He who puts his reason to the stretch in an effort
to exalt himself and to delineate God, will find that he might far better
have stood as a humble suppliant before God, confessing himself to be
only an erring human being."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible
Commentary,
p. 1079.
How does it encourage you to know that God will ultimately
have the final word in the affairs of this troubled world and that
though wickedness seems to triumph, God knows all things and
will one day make everything right?
107
Wednesday
June 21
GOD'S GLORY WILL BE REVEALED (Job 1:8-12; Ps. 98:2-9).
How does the knowledge of God's glory come to us? Isa. 40:5. How
can the knowledge of God's righteousness be obtained? Rom. 1:16, 17;
3:21-26; Ps. 98:2.
A revelation of the character of God is needed, for sin corrupted and
distorted the natural world and our human nature. True knowledge of
God can be provided for us only from God Himself as self-revelation of
His nature. He, knowing our desperate need, provided in Christ the
most glorious revelation of Himself as a loving God. The biblical God we
know has not been discovered through philosophical analysis or scien-
tific investigation, for He is beyond the natural world.
Which arguments did Satan use to question the character of God?
Gen. 3:1-6. What argument did he use to accuse God of ruling on the
basis of selfishness and not love? Job 1:8-12.
The evil forces have been passing judgment on God, accusing Him
of being precisely the opposite of what He claims to be. God cleared up
this distortion on the cross through the sacrificial death of His Son as
our substitute. He has also allowed His creatures to be involved in the
final judgment in order to witness the justice of His decisions. Accord-
ing to Daniel 7:10, during the investigative judgment "A thousand
thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood
before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened." The
resolution of the sin problem is not something that will take place in
secret and unknown to God's creatures.
"In His dealing with sin, God could employ only righteousness and
truth. Satan could use what God could not—flattery and deceit. He
had sought to falsify the word of God and had misrepresented His plan
of government before the angels, claiming that God was not just in
laying laws and rules upon the inhabitants of heaven. . . . Therefore it
must be demonstrated before the inhabitants of heaven, as well as of
all the worlds, that God's government was just, His law perfect."
—The Great Controversy,
p. 498.
"That which the mind cannot now grasp, which is hard to be
understood, will be explained. We shall
see
order in that which
has seemed unexplainable; wisdom in everything withheld; good-
ness and gracious mercy in everything imparted."—Ellen G.
White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 1091.
108
Thursday
June 22
GOD'S VINDICATION
(Isa. 45:22-24; Phil. 2:10,
11).
The God who cannot be judged by the universe is willing to allow the
universe to witness the wonderful way in which He dealt with the sin
problem, thus demonstrating once and for all that the accusations of the
evil powers were false. In the final judgment God vindicates Himself.
We must remember that "the plan of redemption had a yet broader and
deeper purpose than the salvation of man. It was not for this alone that
Christ came to the earth . . . but it was to vindicate the character of God
before the
universe."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 68.
What is God's intention for all the inhabitants of earth? Isa. 45:22-
24; Ps. 66:1-4; 96:11-13; Rev. 13:4; 14:7.
It has always been God's intention to reunite the universe by a
recognition that He alone is worthy of worship. This conflict will come
to an end when
everyone
makes a public recognition of that glorious
fact.
At the end, who will bow before Jesus? Phil. 2:10.
The terminology used by Paul in this text is all-inclusive indicating
the universal scope of the action. "These words have not yet been
fulfilled, but they are an assurance that the time will come when every
creature will acknowledge Christ's overlordship (cf. Rev. 5:11-14). This
can only be when the great controversy is ended, when all, including
Satan and his followers, will bow down at the feet of Jesus and own that
the ways of God have been just and righteous."
—SDA Bible Commen-
tary, vol.
7, p. 157.
This confession of the evil ones is not an indication of their repent-
ance but a recognition that God has shown Himself to be worthy of
worship. Achan was asked to give glory to God before being executed
(Josh. 7:19, 20). It was after his "confession" was made that he was
executed for his sin. It is in this sense that the evil forces will glorify God
at the end of the conflict and before their destruction. They will recog-
nize that their punishment is deserved. God will defeat His enemies from
without and also those from within.
"Satan sees that his voluntary rebellion has unfitted him for
heaven.... His accusations against the mercy and justice of God are
now silenced. The reproach which he has endeavored to cast upon
Jehovah rests wholly upon himself. And now Satan bows down and
confesses the justice of his sentence."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 670.
109
Friday
June 23
FURTHER STUDY:
Isa. 11:4; Matt. 10:42; 23:31-39; John 16:8;
Rom. 1:18-23; 1 Cor. 1:21; Rev. 5:13; 15:4.
Read
The Desire of Ages,
p. 22;
The Great Controversy,
pp. 493,
504, 666-670;
Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 393.
"The earth was dark through misapprehension of God. That the
gloomy shadows might be lightened, that the world might be brought
back to God, Satan's deceptive power was to be broken. This could not
be done by force. The exercise of force is contrary to the principles of
God's government; He desires only the service of love; and love cannot
be commanded; it cannot be won by force or authority. Only by love is
love awakened."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 22.
"And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer and still more
glorious
revelations
of God and of Christ. As knowledge is progres-
sive, so will love, reverence, and happiness increase. The more men
learn of God, the greater will be their admiration of His character. As
Jesus
opens
before them the riches of redemption and the amazing
achievements in the great controversy with Satan, the hearts of the
ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and with more rapturous
joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand
and thousands and thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty
chorus of praise. . . .
"The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The
entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats
through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light
and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the
minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate,
in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love."
—The Great Controversy,
p. 678, emphasis supplied.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
God is taking His people to court on account of their rebel-
lion (Mic. 6:1-8). What does this say about God?
2.
How will the redeemed react to God's judgment against
their enemies? (See Rev. 15:2, 3; 19:1, 2.)
SUMMARY:
God is the Judge of the universe because He is the Creator
and Redeemer. Creatures can never sit in judgment against their infinite
Creator. He revealed Himself on the cross as a loving God, and during
the final judgment it will be clear to all that, even in His judgment against
His enemies, He is righteous and merciful.
110
A Rope and a Prayer
Rafael Apaaya
I did not take religion seriously until a co-worker invited me to
attend a Revelation Seminar in 1998. I went, and there I met the
Savior.
A few days after my baptism some co-workers and I drove to a
funeral some 225 miles from where we live in Tamale [TAH-mah-
leh], Ghana. Before we left, I prayed for our safety. These co-
workers had known me as a drinker and laughed at my prayer.
Our trip covered some very rough roads, and I stopped often to
pray. Each time I prayed, my companions mocked me. The road
became quite rugged. Suddenly we heard a bang, and the car jerked
off the road and into the bush. As I struggled to control the car, it
veered back onto the road. We stopped and jumped out to inspect the
damage. The right front wheel had come off! The men who had been
laughing minutes before now asked how I had steered the car without
the wheel. I told them that God had protected us.
I left the others with the car and walked to the nearest town to find
a mechanic. Two different mechanics looked at the car and said that
without spare parts they could not repair it. And the parts were not
available in that town.
I remembered that I had some nylon rope in the trunk. We raised
the car and pushed the wheel back into place, tying it with the rope.
As we got back into the car, I told my companions that I would pray
for safety. This time they were quiet and did not make fun of me.
Slowly we started out toward the next town. None of us thought that
the rope would hold for long, but I kept driving and praying.
No town along our route had the parts to fix the car, so we
continued on to our destination. We could not find parts there either,
so we started toward home. By God's grace, we arrived safely in
Tamale, having driven some 350 miles on little more than a rope and
a prayer.
Not once after the accident did my
companions mock my prayers. And since
that trip, my Muslim friend comes by to
discuss religion. God's miracle has rein-
forced my faith and made others stop to
think about the power of God and the
effectiveness of prayer.
Rafael Apaaya is an industrial relations
officer in Tamale, in northern Ghana.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Third
Quarter, 2000
The third quarter Bible Study Guide, entitled
Witnessing: Turning
the World Upside Down,
travels through the book of Acts to reveal not
only how the early Christians witnessed but how we can apply these
methods to our particular place and time.
Lesson 1: Witnessing: A Christian Fundamental.
THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE:
Sunday:
What Is a Witness? (Acts 9:1-22; 22:15, 16, 20).
Monday:
The Goal of Witnessing (Matt. 28:18-20).
Tuesday:
Reasons for Witnessing (Acts 8:26; 31; 2 Pet. 3:9; 2 Cor.
5:14).
Wednesday:
The Basic Approaches to Witnessing (Daniel 1; Matt.
5-7;
Acts 18:4).
Thursday:
Witnessing: A Matter of Obedience (Acts 5:17-42).
MEMORY TEXT:
Matthew 28:18-20.
SABBATH GEM:
God has appointed a special role for each of us in
the work of spreading His gospel.
Lesson 2: The Power and the Joy of Witnessing.
THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE:
Sunday:
Searching Within (Acts 1:14; 2:1).
Monday:
Conditions for Enabling Baptism (Acts 1:5, 8, 14).
Tuesday:
Filled With the Spirit (Acts 4:23, 31; 6:1-5; 7:54-56; 11:22-
24).
Wednesday:
The Latter Rain (Acts 2:14-21).
Thursday:
Fasting (Acts 9:7-9, 18, 19; 13:1-3; 14:21-23).
MEMORY TEXT:
Acts 4:33.
SABBATH GEM:
The Holy Spirit is the power behind any witness-
ing we do.
Lessons in Braille
The regular Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide is available
free each month in Braille and 16 2/3 rpm records to blind and
physically handicapped persons who cannot read normal ink print.
This includes individuals who because of arthritis, multiple sclerosis,
paralysis, accident, old age, and so forth cannot hold or focus on
normal ink-print publications. Contact the Christian Record Services,
Box 6097, Lincoln, NE 68506.
112
A book to reach those
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Searching for a God to Love,
by former
Insight
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ers" and the "unbelieving believers." Those thinking people
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belief system that makes sense to them; something that goes
beyond proof texts and anecdotal, simplistic reasoning; some-
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Packed with lively stories, intelligent
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Searching for a God to Love
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0-8163-1719-4.
US$11.99, Cdn$17.99.
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From Pacific Press®.
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Prices subject to change. 656195590
EASTERN AFRICA
DIVISION
Mission Projects:
1.
North Botswana: San's
literacy/rehabilitation Center.
2.
South Botswana: Chapels for three to
six San settlements.
3.
Ethiopia: Two churches, Mekele
School chapel, kindergarten and
parsonage in Wolisso, clinic in Dambo,
upgade equipment for Ethiopian Advent
Press.
ERITRE
Mogadishu
r -
_
UGANDA
KENYA
*
Nairobi
TANZANIA
Dar es Salaam
ZAMBIA Lusaka
ZIMBABWE
Unions
Churches Companies Membership
Population
\
L
2,135
2,872
483,049
39,000,000
686
118
128,596
59,100,000
557
1,105
165,911
9,800,000
964
1,719
207,893
30,600,000
651
1,212
106,119
21,000,000
1,078
2,135
309,200
9,500,000
552
1,224
288,380
11,000,000
3
6
425
3,800,000
29
55
12,627
966,000
22
28
8,662
434,000
6,677
10,474
1,710,862
185,200,000
East African
Ethiopian
Malawi
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia Mission
ZambiaConference
Eritrea Mission Field
North Botswana Field
South Botswana Field
Totals